Iraq establishes oil security force

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KIRKUK, Iraq -- The Iraqi interim government, in conjunction with U.S. forces, is setting up three dedicated oil security battalions to safeguard oil infrastructure in and around the northern city of Kirkuk.

In addition, the nascent Iraqi air force, based at a U.S. airfield near Kirkuk, has begun patrolling the area's three major pipelines using Jordanian-built light aircraft equipped with a variety of sensors.

Kirkuk's oil accounts for 40 percent of Iraq's reserves. Pipelines originating in Kirkuk carry crude to Jordan and Turkey for refining and to Baghdad for shipment to port facilities.

"Kirkuk has not been meeting its potential," said Maj. Darren Blagburn, an intelligence officer with the Idaho National Guard's 116th Regiment, which is deployed to the city.

At peak capacity, Kirkuk has the ability to pump about 1.2 million barrels a day. But terrorist attacks on pipelines and equipment have pushed down production to about 800,000 barrels per day.

Recently, militants exploded a bomb on one of only two cranes used by the state-run Northern Oil Company to seal breached large pipes. The attack slowed the already weeklong process of repairing damaged pipelines.

Iraq's Northern Oil Company's security has long been handled by local tribal leaders, who often put relatives in key positions regardless of qualifications, the U.S. military says.

"These new [oil security brigades] will be key" to changing that, said Maj. Fred Gilson, operations officer of the 116th, which is training Iraqi security forces in the Kirkuk area.

Brig. Gen. Alan Gayhart said his soldiers -- most of whom are reservists -- bring skills from their civilian jobs that make them superior instructors. A few, he said, are police trainers back home.

Gen. Gayhart said the effort is paying off. U.S. forces are planning to turn over control of Kirkuk's security, including oil facilities, to the Iraqis no later than July.