Aug. 5 (Bloomberg) -- The flow of crude oil from Kirkuk in Iraq to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan resumed after a two-day halt, officials at Turkish pipeline operator Botas said.

Flows were expected later today to reach normal levels of 300,000 to 400,000 barrels a day, said a Botas official in Ankara who declined to be identified by name, citing company policy. The stoppage was due to a lack of pressure in the pipeline, the official said.

Flows halted late on Aug. 3, said another Botas official at the Kirkuk pipeline's terminus in Ceyhan, who also declined to be named. The cross-border pipeline has been pumping below capacity since June, and there are no technical difficulties on the Turkish side, the official said.

Iraq, home to the world's third-largest oil reserves, exports crude oil to world markets via a southern route, as well as the northern pipeline to Ceyhan, where it's loaded onto tankers for Europe and the U.S. Bombings, fires and other security issues have hampered the Kirkuk pipeline since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

An Iraqi Oil Ministry official, who declined to be identified for security reasons, said earlier today that flows had been stopped until crude stockpiles were built up again in Kirkuk. The Iraqi official said crude is normally pumped through the pipeline in batches and that the temporary halt was not the result of any attacks, explosions or technical faults.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ayla Jean Yackley in Istanbul at ayackley@bloomberg.netAli Berat Meric in Ankara at

Last Updated: August 5, 2008 08:42 EDT