Archive | Iraq Oil & Gas News

Iraq Business News brings you the latest information on developments and opportunities in the oil and gas industry in Iraq.

Iraq "Cancels" Oil Deal with China's Zhenhua

By John Lee. Iraq has reportedly cancelled its $2-billion pre-paid oil supply agreement with Zhenhua Oil Company. Under a deal said to have been agreed in January, the state-owned Chinese company would pay Iraq in advance for a year's supply of oil. S&P Global Platts reported the following month that Iraq had "frozen" the deal, […]

Iraq Oil Revenues almost $6bn in May

By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Oil has announced finalised oil exports for May of 89,881,268 barrels, giving an average for the month of 2.899 million barrels per day (bpd), slightly down from the 2.947 million bpd exported in April. The exports from the oilfields in central and southern Iraq amounted to approximately 86,820,355 barrels, […]

Lukoil paid over $60m to Iraqi Govt in 2020

By John Lee. Russian oil company Lukoil has published details of its payments made during the financial year ended 31 December 2020 in favor of the government of Iraq: The Dhi Qar Oil Company (DQOC) [Thiqar Oil Company] received 1,963 million Russian Rubles [$26.9 million] in respect of the Block 10 field; The General Commission […]

BP to Spin Off Iraq Operations?

By John Lee. UK-based BP is reportedly considering a plan to spin off its operations in Iraq into a separate company. According to Dow Jones, the new company would be jointly owned by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), BP's partner in the giant Rumaila project. More here. (Source: Dow Jones)

Increased Capacity at Dora Refinery

By John Lee. Iraq's Minister of Oil has opened two plants for improving gasoline and hydrogen production at the Al-Dora refinery in Baghdad. The new gasoline line will increase capacity from 3 million liters per day to 4 million liters per day, and is part of a program to reduce fuel imports by 50 percent […]

Kuwait and Iraq discuss Grid Connector

By John Lee. Iraq's Ambassador to Kuwait, H.E. Mr. Al-Manhal Al-Safi, met on Friday with the Kuwaiti Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, H.E. Dr. Mishaan Al-Otaibi. They discussed cooperation in renewable energy and natural gas, as well as developments in grid connection to supply Iraq with electrical power. (Source: MoFA)

GKP Shares Rise on Corporate Update

By John Lee. Shares in Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) ended the day up more than 6 percent on Friday, as the Kurdistan-focused oil producer gave an operational and corporate update: Jon Harris (pictured), Gulf Keystone's Chief Executive Officer, said: "We continue to safely navigate a challenging operating environment due to COVID-19, with gross average year-to-date […]

KRG to rely 100% on Natural Gas for Electricity

Ten electricity plants were provided with transformers at a ceremony attended by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani in Koya town on Thursday. The Deputy Prime Minister commended the Koya transformer project and addressed developments in the electricity sector, including the Kurdistan Regional Government's decision to go all in on natural gas. "The power generation costs […]

Iraqi Tankers Re-Registered in Umm Qasr

By John Lee. Two oil tankers owned by the State Company for Maritime Transport (SCMT) have been transferred from Jordanian registration to registration in the Iraqi port of Basra, following the lifting of sanctions. Iraqi Transport Minister, Captain Nasser Hussain Bandar Al-Shibli [Captain Nasser Hussein Bandar Al-Shibli], raised the Iraqi flags on the vessels, the […]

LUKoil announces Plans for Iraq's Block 10

By John Lee. The head of Russia's LUKoil has said that the company plans to start production at Iraq's Block 10 at the end of 2022 or in 2023. Vagit Alekperov (pictured) told a Reuters that output will start at 30,000 barrels per day (bpd). The field is being developed by LUKoil (60%) and Inpex […]

Petrel Resources' Focus will be Iraq

By John Lee. In its preliminary results for the year ended 31st December 2020, Petrel Resources made the following statement on its interests in Iraq: "Meanwhile Petrel continues to push its interest in Iraq and Ghana. For the foreseeable future oil will play a major part in world economic development. "Iraq has some of the […]