Archive | 2012

Double-Digit Growth Forecast for Iraq

While much of the developed world struggles to drag itself out of recession, Iraq managed to register real GDP growth of 9.9% last year, according to IMF estimates. Their projection for this year is 11.1 percent, followed by 13.5 percent next year, giving compounded growth over the three years of nearly 40%. Iraq may have […]

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Iraq Could Have 214bn Barrels of Oil

Iraq could have total oil reserves to 214 billion barrels, according to the country’s Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for energy. Hussain al- Shahristani (pictured) made the statement today at the Iraq Refinery conference in London. Current proven oil reserves were revised up to 143 billion barrels in October 2010, not including oil in the […]

Iraq says Exxon won't Move on Kurdish Oil Blocs

Exxon Mobil has told Baghdad it will not break ground on its oil blocs in Iraqi Kurdistan until the central government in Baghdad approves the contracts, Deputy Prime Minister for Energy, Hussain al-Shahristani, said said on Wednesday. Shahristani has indicated many times that such approval was unlikely to be granted. Baghdad has threatened to exclude Exxon […]

Heritage Oil Down Slightly on Results

Shares in Heritage Oil (LSE: HOIL) closed down 2% on Wednesday following the announcement of its results for the twelve months ended 31 December 2011: 2011 Operational Highlights Awarded new licences in Tanzania which Heritage believes could be geologically analogous to the Lake Albert Basin, providing the Company with a key advantage in assessing the […]

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Iraq Ranks Worst in Impunity Index

Iraq has ranked worst on the Committee to Protect Journalists' Impunity Index for the fifth consecutive year. The Impunity Index calculates unsolved journalist murders as a percentage of each country's population. With more than 90 unsolved murders, Iraq's impunity rating dwarfs that of every other nation. "Most of the murders occurred as Iraq was immersed […]

Dragon Oil Targets Iraq

Dubai-based Dragon Oil is considering expanding into Iraq. In its management statement on Monday, the company said that it was pre-qualified for Iraq’s fourth oil licensing round, which is currently scheduled to take place at the end of May. “We are looking at partnering opportunities ahead of this bidding round,” the company said in its […]

Iraq Develops East Baghdad Oilfield

Production at the East Baghdad oilfield has reached 10,000 barrels per day, according to Aswat al-Iraq. "The East Baghdad oilfield is the biggest in Iraq and Iraqi and Jordanian companies are drilling wells in it," Essam Jihad told the news agency. "The ministry has mapped out a plan to develop it and signed a contract […]

Kurdistan to Double Trade Volume with Sweden

Trade between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Sweden hit $154 million last year and the Swedish authorities are planning to double that figure by 2015, reports AKnews. Swedish Minister of Trade, Eva Bjorling (pictured), opened the Swedish Embassy’s trade office in Erbil, and an institute to help Iraqis address unemployment, on Tuesday. Fathi Mohammed, […]

Trade with Iran Reaches $9 billion

The under-secretary of the Iraqi Ministry of Industry met a delegation of Iranian  companies to discuss industrial cooperation and possibilities of Iranian participation in work opportunities in Iraq. According to AKnews, the head of the Iranian delegation, Ameen Shari'ati, said that trade between the two countries reached $9 billion dollars. He hoped this figure would increase, […]

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First Kuwaiti flight to Iraq in 22 Years

Najaf Airport saw the landing of the first Kuwaiti passenger plane in 22 years on Tuesday, according to AKnews The Jazeera Airways Airbus 320 landed at 6pm carrying the ambassadors of the two countries. The low-fare airline is expected to operate two flights per week between the countries. The flight comes after the Iraqi Prime […]