Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has received a $122 million contract to install and sustain Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) systems at forward operating bases (FOBs) supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and the ongoing United States Mission in Iraq (USM-I). The contract includes options that, if fully exercised, would raise the potential value of the contract to $311 million.

Since initial fielding more than six years ago, the C-RAM system is credited with saving hundreds of lives through its ability to provide early warning of incoming indirect fire. C-RAM is a capability that integrates existing field artillery and air defense sensors, a commercial off-the-shelf warning system and a U.S. Navy-developed interceptor to protect U.S. and coalition personnel from indirect fire threat. Working closely with the U.S. Army, Northrop Grumman helped to take the C-RAM capability from concept to reality in less than 18 months.

“C-RAM is exemplary for smart integration of existing technology to serve critical needs,” said Mike Twyman, vice president and general manager of the Defense Systems Division, Northrop Grumman Information Systems. “We will continue our collaboration with the Army to enhance this system that has provided timely warning of more than 2,000 rocket and mortar attacks against our FOBs.”

Under this contract, Northrop Grumman will provide systems engineering, production, deployment and logistics support for the C-RAM systems. The contract was awarded by the Army Contracting Command-Redstone at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Program management and technical direction will come from the Program Director, C-RAM, in the Army’s Program Executive Office, Missiles and Space.

(Source: Northrop Grumman)

The Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works has announced that 12 British companies have agreed to build water purification plants in five Iraqi provinces, according to AKnews.

Jassim Mohammed, media adviser at the Ministry, told the news agency that the new plants will be in the provinces of Anbar, Diyala, Najaf, Dhi Qar and Basra.

He added that the Ministry is working to streamline the procedures for foreign companies working on service projects in the country.

Iraq experienced widespread protests throughout 2011 as people vented their anger at the poor provision of services such as drinking water.

(Source: AKnews)

(Picture: Nasiriyah Water Treatment Plant, by USACE)

This article was written by Abeer Mohammed and Anas al-Bdeer, and was originally published by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, iwpr.net. It is reproduced by Iraq Business News with permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Reported comments by an Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander boasting of his country’s influence abroad have sparked controversy in Iraq. Analysts say the seriousness with which the incident was taken reflects the huge sensitivities surrounding sovereignty issues after the United States military withdrawal.

Tehran quickly moved to insist that the comments attributed to the commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, Qassem Sulaimani, in which he apparently suggested that both Iraq and southern Lebanon were under Iranian control, were badly misquoted.

“These statements are false. They are groundless and meant to achieve crooked aims,” a statement which the Iranian embassy in Baghdad sent IWPR on January 21 said.

The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Ghazanfar Roknabadi, said the actual comments Sulaimani made were mistranslated.

“In his original remarks, Brigadier-General Qassem Sulaimani said many countries in the region are inspired by the ideas of the Islamic revolution in Iran,” he told the As-Safir newspaper. “Unfortunately, his words have been deliberately twisted.”

The U.S. Embassy has announed the beginning of the application period for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program for academic years 2013-2015.

The Fulbright program is accepting applications February 1 – April 30, 2012.  This prestigious and competitive scholarship program, launched by the U.S. Congress and the late U.S. senator William J. Fulbright in 1946, allows outstanding students worldwide to obtain Master’s degrees at U.S. universities to further their academic and professional careers as well as to promote international cultural understanding.  The Fulbright program directly supports the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement.

The Fulbright scholarship will fund up to two years of study at the Master’s degree level at a U.S. university starting in the Fall of 2013.  All disciplines and academic fields of study are available under this program, with the exception of medicine and other clinical studies.  Those Iraqis with an outstanding academic record, both men and women and from all parts of Iraq, are urged to apply using the online system described below.  As many as 35 scholarships can be awarded in Iraq.

Participation is an opportunity for exceptional Iraqi students to experience life in the United States first-hand.  Iraqi Fulbright students also have the opportunity to share Iraq’s rich culture with Americans and to serve as “student ambassadors,” both in the classroom and in everyday life.  The Fulbright program in Iraq seeks to develop future leaders in all fields and to contribute to the educational goals of both countries.  The Fulbright Selection Committee, comprised of U.S. officials and Iraqis, nominates candidates for this program.

The World Refining Association (WRA) today announced the return of Middle East Downstream Week (MEDW) 2012. The conference will highlight the significant benefits that can be achieved in the downstream industry through diversification strategies, integrations plans and key business improvements during times of financial unrest where crude is priced at US$100 per barrel.

To be held at the Beach Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAE, MEDW will take place from 25 – 28 March 2012.

Preceding the conference will be Axen’s complimentary Middle East Seminar on Refining and Petrochemical Technology. The seminar will provide downstream operators with an in-depth understanding of the practical and daily challenges faced at refineries and petrochemical plants. In addition, it will highlight the efficient use of technology to facilitate productive development, along with ways to meet market demand.

Key highlights of the Axen’s complimentary seminar include: Middle East refining and petrochemical challenges; Hydrocracking Axens’ catalyst and technology outlook; present challenges for Middle distillates hydrotreatment; options for resid upgrading; and Flexene and Olicrack technologies.

Arianna Neri, Project Director, MEDW, said:

“MEDW 2012 is once again Axens’ partner of choice for their Middle East downstream seminar. This partnership considerably strengthens MEDW’s credibility in the region. Furthermore, it is the ideal conference to discuss the status of the industry in an organic and holistic way. The concerns of various stakeholders from industries that include refining, fuel, marketing, integrated refining/petrochemicals, technology providers and others will all be addressed in detail and a comprehensive strategy to efficiently and effectively ensure regional and global downstream success will be defined.”

Day one of the conference will provide attendees with a comprehensive analysis on the latest technologies available to help develop smart refineries. Speakers will discuss the need for innovation and the importance of research and development in order to develop more efficient and profitable refineries.

Dow Jones reports that the gas capture project with Shell and Mitsubishi in Southern Iraq is expected to start production this year.

The head of the South Gas Company, Ali Hussein Khudhier, told the news agency that they expect to produce 50 Mcfd of gas this year.

He added that the floating LNG plant and terminal to be built off the Basra coast is expected to cost around $3 billion, and should be operational in 2017 or 2018. The project would export 600 MMcfd of gas in the form of LNG.

The consortium will soon invite international companies to tender to build the LNG facility.

Before this deal, Iraq was producing around 450 million cubic feet a day of gas from Rumaila, West Qurna Phase 1 and Zubair, but within two years Khudhier expects to also be capturing the 1.1 billion cfd that are currently flared.

Under the agreement, Iraq has to supply the Basra Gas Company with at least 2 Bcfd of raw gas even if it has to bring it from other fields, but it is expected that gas output from these three fields will exceed 2 billion cubic feet a day at full production.

(Source: Dow Jones)

The current political tensions in Iraq are likely to delay the finalisation of a new hydrocarbon law for more than a year, according to Reuters.

“With these chronic political differences I can’t see any possibility of having an oil law this year,” said Adel Barwari, a Kurdish adviser to Maliki.

“If the [differences] were, say for example, 2 or 3 percent, I would say yes we could have a law, but the percentage is much higher.”

(Source: Reuters)

Reuters reports that Iraq has delayed its 4th energy auction until the end of May.

“The oil ministry has decided to delay the 4th bidding round until May 30-31 to give more time for the interested companies to study the new amended contract,” said Abdul-Mahdy al-Ameedi, director of the oil ministry’s petroleum contracts and licensing directorate (PCLD).

The auction for the 12 new gas and oil exploration blocks has been delayed several times and had most recently been scheduled for 11-12th April.

(Source: Reuters)