Bad weather has slashed Iraq's southern oil exports to 792,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 2.35 million bpd, Iraqi oil sources said yesterday.

"The weather may improve today or tomorrow and allow exports to return to normal," one oil port official said.

Iraq's oil exports were halted a week ago when rough weather stopped tankers from loading at Basra's ports.

Exports from the south, the country's main crude shipment point, have risen steadily, bringing Iraq closer to its highest export level in decades. Crude shipments averaged 2.3m bpd during the first half of October.-Reuters