Iraq made more than $4 billion in revenues from oil exports in April, selling a total of 53 million barrels, according to the oil ministry.

Speaking to Aswat al-Iraq, ministry spokesperson Essam Jihad said that the average price for Basra oil stood at $79.66 for the month.

"The volume of exports from the Basra oil reached 42.7 million barrels, recorded revenues of$3.386 million dollars. The exported quantities of crude oil from Kirkuk, amounted to ten million barrels," he added.

The ministry may well expect further export growth in the months to come after the country's council of ministers approved the recommencement of exports from Kurdistan after banning sales last year.

Meanwhile, international oil companies working in the south of the country continue to ramp up production, while also providing a local employment boosts through mandatory oil training programmes agreed as part of their production licenses.

The licenses went under the hammer in two bidding rounds in 2009.

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