Will Anbar Prevent Akkas Gas Deal?

“Anbar is rich with huge resources of oil and gas, but the Oil Ministry preferred to start exploration works in other provinces and ignore us for no convincing reason,” said Sadoun Obeid, deputy head of the Anbar council.

As an example of Anbar’s potential, Obeid said a farmer in the town of Rawa this year drilled a water well to irrigate his farm but hit a gas reservoir instead. Anbar authorities urgently informed the Oil Ministry, which sent a crew to seal the well.

The central government says that under Iraqi law, only it can sign contracts to exploit energy resources. But some provinces have rebelled.

Baghdad is embroiled in a dispute with the semi-autonomous Kurdish region over contracts the Kurds signed with companies to develop northern fields. Baghdad says the contracts are illegal.

Last month the Oil Ministry accused provincial officials and local police in Wasit Province of trying to raid the al-Ahdab oilfield being developed by Chinese oil company CNPC.

Oil Ministry spokesman Asim Jihad criticized Anbar’s stance so close to the auction. “Such statements at this time are detrimental to the Iraqi economy, detrimental to the efforts of Iraq to lure foreign investments to revive its oil sector,” he said.

(Source: Reuters)

(Picture: Ramadi Mosque, Anbar)