Two blasts target south Iraq oil pipeline

BASRA: Two explosions struck an oil pipeline overnight in southern Iraq, starting a fire and diverting crude transport, security and energy officials said on Saturday.

The blasts occurred in the Safwan bridge area southwest of the port city of Basra, and the Qarenat area west of there, near the massive Rumaila oil field, a police officer and an official at state-owned South Oil Co said. They did not affect oil production or exports, and the fire was put out on Saturday morning.

"This oil pipeline transports oil from southern Rumaila to Zubair," the police officer said. Transport was switched to another pipeline that connects the two fields.