The Ministry of Oil of the Republic of Iraq seeks possession of more than one million barrels of oil that it claims was illegally pumped from Iraqi oil fields, according to a recently filed federal lawsuit.
The Ministry of Oil of the Republic of Iraq filed a lawsuit July 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas-Galveston Division against The Ministry of Natural Resources of the Kurdistan Regional Governate of?
The Ministry of Oil claims the Kurdistan Regional Government illegally pumped crude oil last December through a pipeline originating in Iraq and running to Ceyhan in Turkey.
When it discovered Kurdistan's activity, the Ministry instructed the government of Turkey to hold the crude oil and mandated that Kurdistan cease pumping, according to the complaint. However, Kurdistan continued to pump the oil and Turkey did not hold it, the suit states.
On June 23, the boat? left waters off the shore of Turkey and is currently at sea, the complaint says. It was scheduled to arrive in Galveston on July 28, the Republic says.
The Republic accuses the defendant of possessing and trying to title wrongfully converted cargo.
It seeks a judgment awarding it permanent and unrestricted possession of the cargo and an arrest of the cargo until a judgment is rendered.
It also seeks a removal of the cargo to a storage facility and other relief the court deems just.
It is being represented by attorneys Phillip B. Dye Jr. and John J. Michael of Vinson and Elkins in Houston and Liane Noble of Austin.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas Galveston Division case number 3:14-cv-00249
This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas Galveston Division. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it represents only one side of the story.