Yemeni Oil Ministry said that exports will resume next week after violence halted shipments for more 18 months, Elaph.com reported Monday (July 9th).

"Under the protection of the army, technical teams will complete repair work of the pipeline this week," said oil minister Hisham Sharaf. "We will start pumping oil from the Marib oilfields to the Ras Isa port on the Red Sea next week."

The Marib oil pipeline was targeted three times in October 2011, forcing the pipeline as well as the Aden refinery, which handled 150,000 barrel per day, to close.

The closures cost Yemen $15 million per day and forced the country to become more dependent on imports and donations to meet energy demands.