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.

Iran starts Testing Iraq Gas Pipeline

By John Lee. Iran's PressTV reports that preliminary tests have been carried out over 50 kilometers of the final stretch of the pipeline from Assaluyeh, near Iran's offshore South Pars oil and gas field, to Iraq. A spokesman for the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said the next test will be carried out over the […]

Basra Lab achieves ISO/IEC Accreditation

RSK’s combined geotechnical-chemical laboratory just outside Basra has achieved accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2005, the international standard for competence of testing laboratories. The ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation, which was awarded by the Gulf Cooperation Council Accreditation Centre, an accredited body of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) in March 2015, specifies the general requirements required for a […]

Extremists, Oil or Kirkuk? Kurdistan's Next Big Crisis

This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Extremists, Oil or Kirkuk? Iraqi Kurdistan's Next Big Crisis: Its Presidency Several weeks ago Iraqi Kurdish MPs got into a fist fight in Parliament. The cause: Whether the current President […]

Lukoil "was asked to Reduce Iraq Output"

By John Lee. Russian oil company Lukoil was asked to "sharply reduce" output at West Qurna-2 this year, reports Reuters. Ravil Maganov (pictured), head of the company's upstream division, told reporters: "We've got the letter to curb our enthusiasm ... We were restricted to 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) due to weather and level of […]

PM al-Abadi Meets Oil Bosses

During his visit to Washington this week, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi received the Chairman and CEO of Occidental Petroleum, Mr. Steve Chazen, and the Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, Mr. Rex Tillerson, in separate meetings. Both chairmen discussed the progress in oil production in Iraq, and thanked the Prime Minister for the security and stability […]

Oilfield Torched near Erbil

By John Lee. Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL) militants set fire to an abandoned oil field near Makhmour and Qaraj, east of Erbil, on Wednesday. Anofficial told BasNews that the oil field is located between Peshmerga and IS militants’ frontlines, about 2 kilometres away from Peshmerga forces. It is believed that the oil field was […]

Iran could Supply Gas to Kuwait via Iraq

By John Lee. The managing director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) has said it is possible for Iran to export natural gas to Kuwait through Iraq. Hamid Reza Araqi was quoted as saying that the pipeline which is being built to export gas to Iraq could be used for this purpose also. Iran […]

New Prices for Iraqi Oil, but Basra Heavy 'Delayed'

By John Lee. Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) has adjusted its official selling prices for its Basra and Kirkuk crude oil for May. It has also issued separate prices for its new Basra Heavy grade, giving a significant discount to the more desireable Basra Light, but Reuters cites industry sources as saying that shipments […]

Shell Staff Raise Money for AMAR

Shell Iraq staff dug deep into their own pockets to raise money for the AMAR International Charitable Foundation. They collected almost £10,000 ($14,700), which Shell management generously agreed to double. The photo from Khanke IDP camp near Dohuk today show AMAR staff distributing essential supplies for babies and young children which were bought with some […]

IS Attacks Baiji Refinery

By John Lee. Islamic State militants (IS, ISIS, ISIL) breached the security perimeter around Baiji [Beiji, Bayji) refinery on Monday, but were repelled by security forces and coalition airstrikes. The 20-square-kilometer site was under siege for five months last summer, until its liberation in November. According to Reuters, provincial council member Khazaal Hammad said the […]

Splitting Basra Crude "Makes Sense"

By John Lee. Reuters reports that Iraq's plan to split its Basra crude into 'heavy' and 'light' grades from May should reduce quality issues dogging its exports, but adds that there will be challenges getting the price it wants and setting up the required infrastructure. An official at the state-run South Oil Company (SOC), who […]