Iraqi Oil Sector 'Doing Nothing' To Prepare For Y2K, May Have To Shut Down

Iraq's oil industry is not prepared to deal with the millennium bug and may well be forced to shut down production and exports at the turn of the year, according to industry sources. Asked what the oil ministry was doing to counter the Y2K changeover, a source replied that they are doing nothing. Iraqi crude pumping stations and export facilities are likely to be hit by the problem, according to the source, and engineers will have to deal with disruptions as necessary. This may mean that refineries, fertilizing plants and gas plants may have to shut down or risk the effects of Y2K on their systems."