Iraqi oil pipes sabotaged

Saboteurs have attacked a number of pipelines in southern Iraq, a top oil official said.

The attacks took place in Berjasiya, 20 miles southwest of the southern city of Basra, the South Oil Company official said.

Around 20 pipelines were attacked. The pipelines connect the Rumeila oilfields to Berjasiya.

It was unclear what effect the bombings would have on exports.

Insurgents have repeatedly sabotaged Iraq’s crucial oil industry, its main source of income, in an effort to hamper reconstruction efforts here.

The threats to the oil infrastructure have increased in recent weeks amid a violent uprising by Shiite militants in southern Iraq, where much of the oil industry is located.

Oil exports were reduced by a third following the sabotage, oil officials said.

The pipelines were still ablaze today.

TV footage showed huge plumes of black smoke and flames leaping from the Zubayr 1 pumping station, south of Basra.

Oil exports out of southern Iraq average about 1.85 million barrels a day. Oil officials said the sabotage cut exports to 1.2 million barrels.

Squadron leader Spike Wilson, a spokesman for British troops helping maintain security in the area, said he was only aware of one pipeline breach 12 miles west of Zubayr.