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.

Oryx Petroleum Hits Oil at Banan-2

By John Lee. Oryx Petroleum has announced that the Banan-2 appraisal well (“BAN-2”) has been spudded in the Hawler license area in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Oryx Petroleum is the operator and has a 65% participating and working interest in the Hawler license area. Henry Legarre (pictured), Oryx Petroleum’s Chief Operating Officer, stated: “We […]

Oil Exports Continue to Rebound

By John Lee. Iraqi oil exports rose for a second consecutive month in May, according to a report from AFP. Exports of crude oil averaged 2.58 million bpd last month, up from April's 2.50 million bpd, raising $8.68 billion in revenues. All of the shipments were made from southern export terminals, following persistent attacks on […]

Majnoon Firefighters Train in Malta

By John Lee. A team of twelve firefighters from Shell's Majnoon oilfield arrived at the International Safety Training College (ISTC) in Malta this week for an intensive training programme. The group was accompanied by Mr. Bernard Carter, a senior manager at Shel Iraq, who will be observing the training and filming the practical exercises, which utilise […]

Safar Announces Partnership with UTS

By John Lee. Safar Oilfield Services has announced its partnership with United Technical Services (UTS) to provide unique chemical solutions to the vast hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) challenges faced in Iraq. As the Kurdistan region of Iraq continues to combat the challenging issue of H2S, Safar now offers and supplies H2S Scavengers and provides customers […]

Italy Enters KRG Oil Controversy

By John Lee. The Italian Industry Ministry has issued a letter to refineries and traders, warning of legal action that may be taken by Iraq's State Oil Marketing Company in the event of purchasing oil from the Kurdish region. At the time of writing, the cargo vessel United Leadership was moored in the Mediterranean, laden with […]

Kurdish Oil Ship in Search of a Port

By Ufuk Sanli for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Kurdish administration in northern Iraq and the Baghdad government are at loggerheads over oil exports. The tanker carrying the first cargo of independently exported oil from northern Iraq is crisscrossing […]

Lukoil: New Contract Helps Iraq, Investors

By John Lee. Lukoil have announced changes to their contract to work on West Qurna-2, following talks with the Iraqi Minister of Oil Abdul Kareem Luaibi. The new alteration expands the scope of the work to include the Tuba-Fao pipeline, as well as speeding up the process of cost recovery for investors. The Tuba-Fao pipeline […]

DNO: Tawke Production Hits 120,000 bpd

By John Lee. DNO International ASA ("DNO"), the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today announced that production from the Tawke field in the Kurdistan region of Iraq reached 120,021 barrels of oil per day in May, the first time average monthly production has exceeded 100,000 barrel per day. May production was split 60-40 between local […]

$7.8bn 'Petrodollars' Allocated for Development

By John Lee. The Iraqi cabinet has allocated $7.8 billion for development projects in oil-producing provinces, according to Al-Shorfa. The Minister of Planning Ali al-Shukri (pictured) said. "The amounts are allocated for various economic, social, and service development projects in the housing, education and energy sectors, and for environmental protection projects, treatment of environmental effects […]

Gazprom Neft Begins Production at Badra

On 31 May, Gazprom Neft began production at the Badra oilfield in Iraq. The central gathering station (CGS) is currently undergoing complex testing of its crude oil processing system. Testing will be completed in three months once enough oil has been accumulated for commercial production to begin. The Badra field will then be ready to […]

KRG Risks Isolation by Exporting Oil

By Harith Hasan for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. KRG Risks Isolation in Iraq by Exporting Oil through Turkey The announcement this month that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was exporting oil independently of the Iraqi central government was an […]

PM Barzani on KRG Oil Exports

The Prime Minister yesterday addressed the Kurdistan Parliament at length regarding the Region's financial situation, disputes with Baghdad, natural resources, and other matters. An excerpt of his address is below: “The Kurdistan Region’s policy from the beginning has been based upon solving outstanding issues with Baghdad. We want to find a solution and reach an […]