Iraq's Kurdistan resumed pumping crude from an important oilfield on Tuesday after "minor technical difficulties" halted operations on Monday night, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Energy Minister Ashti Hawrami said in a statement.


Oil officials from the central government in Baghdad had said the autonomous region had stopped crude flow from the Khurmala oilfield - which generates 75,000 to 80,000 barrels per day (bpd) - since Monday night.

The KRG halted exports in April in a row over payments from Baghdad to companies working in the region.

It restarted them in what it said was a goodwill gesture, but warned it would stop them again by September 15 if there was no progress on payments.

Hawrami said no decision had been taken to deliberately halt oil exports by either the KRG or oil contractors in the region.

He said he expected oil exports to continue normally until at least Sept. 15 and "sincerely" hoped exports would continue beyond that date if progress was made in discussions with Baghdad over a payment dispute.