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.

Bomber Targets Kirkuk Oil Company

By John Lee. A suicide bomber has killed a police officer and an employee of the Kirkuk Oil Company (KOC), and wounded four others, according to a report from Shafaaq. The attack happened on the main road between Kirkuk and Debes. Kirkuk Provincial Council recently changed the name of North Oil Company (NOC) to Kirkuk […]

KRG Approves Payment to IOCs

Further to the Ministry of Natural Resources communiqué of August 3, 2015 regarding payments to the exporting international oil companies (IOCs) in the Kurdistan Region, the Kurdistan Regional Government has confirmed that the Kurdistan Regional Council for Oil & Gas Affairs expects the first tranche of regular payments to be made available to the exporting […]

GKP Shares Rally

Shares in Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) were trading up 12 percent on Thursday following the announcement of its results for the six months ended 30 June 2015. Operational highlights Security situation and HSE performance All operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq remain safe and secure with no significant HSE incidents during the period Shaikan […]

RSK Hiring Iraqi Staff

Just a year after it opened, the RSK combined geotechnical–environmental laboratory outside Basra, Iraq, is aiming to expand its services and recruit more young scientists to augment its staff of nearly 20. The RSK Iraq laboratory, which has been operational since May 2014, is the first combined geoenvironmental laboratory in Iraq to achieve this International […]

KOGAS to Invest $4.9bn in Zubair

By John Lee. The Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS), the state-run South Korean gas company, is to invest $4.9 billion (5.7 trillion Iraqi dinars) to develop the Zubair oilfield. In a stock exchange filing, the company said this investment is part of the total $19.4 billion capital expenditure required for the project, and added that it […]

$9bn in Arrears Paid to Oil Firms

By John Lee. Iraq has paid international oil companies (IOCs) $9 billion in remaining arrears for 2014, according to a report from Reuters. Oil Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi (pictured) said that the outstanding fees for 2015 will be paid in stages until the beginning of next year. (Source: Reuters)

Video: Israel Imports 77% of its Oil from Kurdistan

A new report suggests that Israel has bought more than three-quarters of its oil from the government of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region. According to the Financial Times, Israeli firms and refineries imported over 19 million barrels of oil worth one billion dollars between May and August 20-15. That’s almost 77 percent of the crude exported […]

UK MP joins GKP Management

Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) has announced that Nadhim Zahawi (pictured) has been appointed as Chief Strategy Officer. Mr Zahawi is joining Gulf Keystone's management team and will be responsible for the evaluation of strategic options for the Company, reporting to CEO Jón Ferrier. Mr Zahawi, 48, is of Kurdish origin, and moved from Iraq to […]

Iran, Iraq Discuss Azadegan Oilfield

By John Lee. Iraq's Ambassador to Iran, Rajeh Saber Aboud al-Moussavi, has said that Tehran and Baghdad are in talks on investment in the joint Azadegan oilfield. The field, situated 80-100 kilometres west of Ahvaz in Khuzestan province in Iran, was discovered in 1999, and has reserves estimated at 33 billion barrels. It is already […]

KRG "Sets the Record Straight" on Oil Exports

By John Lee. The KRG’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has issued a statement which it claims will "set the record straight on oil export and revenue:" The full text of the statement is shown below: In 2014, Dr. Maliki’s government cut the entire Kurdistan budget creating a financial crisis for the people of the […]

DNO: Need Ongoing Revenues to Sustain Operations

By John Lee. DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, set record production levels from the Tawke field in the Kurdistan region of Iraq during the second quarter of 2015 with output averaging 153,346 barrels of oil per day (bopd). A total of 118,037 bopd, representing 77 percent of field production, was delivered to […]

PM Reassures Lukoil amid Protests

By John Lee. During a visit to the West Qurna II oilfield in Basra, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reiterated his government's commitment to ensuring the security of the southern oilfields and their workers. He met with senior management of the Russian operator Lukoil, following protests by locals demanding jobs. A Lukoil official told Reuters that […]