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.

SOMO Signs Deal to Buy 1.5m Tonnes of Fuel

Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) has signed a deal to buy nearly 1.5 million tonnes of gasoil and petrol for delivery over the first half of the year, according to Gulf News. Gasoil It is set to purchase two cargoes of 16,000 tonnes each of 0.1 per cent sulphur gasoil every month from Vitol […]

Najaf Refinery Output Up 30% in 2011

Najaf Refinery achieved a 30% rise in overall production in 2011 compared to a year earlier, the Director of the Najaf refinery said this week. Leith al-Gharrawi told AKnews that the refinery produced about 7.174 million barrels of petroleum, up from about 5 million barrels in 2010. The production of kerosene was also 30% higher […]

Iraq to Raise January Kirkuk Crude Exports by 3.5%

Bloomberg reports that Iraq will increase its exports of Kirkuk crude for January from the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan (pictured) by 3.5 percent from last month. The loading program obtained by comprises 18 cargoes totaling 13.88 million barrels, or 447,742 barrels a day, compared with 432,677 barrels a day for December. The cargo sizes […]

Sonoro Energy Shares Jump on Iraq Farmout

Shares in Sonoro Energy rose 11% on Thursday following its announcement that the company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sonoro Energy Iraq B.V. (“Sonoro Iraq”), has entered into a Farmout Agreement with Geopetrol International Holding Inc. and its subsidiary, Geopetrol Iraq Corp. The Agreement provides for the assignment by Sonoro to Geopetrol of a thirty percent […]

Iraq Delays 4th Energy Auction

Reuters reports on Wednesday that Iraq has delayed its 4th energy bidding round by more than a month. Originally scheduled for 7-8 March, the auction for the 12 new gas and oil exploration blocks will now be held on 11-12 April. Abdul-Mahdy al-Ameedi, director of the oil ministry's contracts and licensing directorate, told Reuters: "We […]

New Gulf Oil Terminal to Open in February

Iraq plans to start shipping crude from the first of its three new offshore export terminals in the Gulf at the start of February, according to Reuters. The new single-point mooring (SPM), which will boost export capacity by 900,000 barrels per day, was due to start operation on 1st January, but testing of new pipelines has […]

Iraqi Oil Exports hit 2.145m bpd in December

Iraq's oil exports rose by 10,000 barrels per day in December, from 2.135 million bpd to 2.145 million bpd, according to a report from Platts. Citing data from the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO), the agency also says that the country's oil production fell by 13,000 bpd in December, to 2.652 million bpd from 2.665 […]

UAE’s Piling Tech wins $10m West Qurna-2 Contract

Piling Tech, a subsidiary of the UAE-based business conglomerate Tech Group, said that it has won its first oil sector contract in Iraq, valued at $10 million. Under the terms of the agreement, Piling Tech will be involved in the installation of piles, foundations and wells for the West Qurna-2 oil field in southern Iraq. […]

Nabucco 'of Great Importance for Iraq'

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has told the Trend news agency that his country was keen on taking part in the planned Nabucco natural gas pipeline. "Iraq is able to propose its resources for this strategic project, which is of great importance for the country," he was quoted as saying. UPI reports that Europe aims […]

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Al-Ahdab Oilfield Three-Years Ahead Of Schedule

Capacity at Al-Ahdab oilfield reached 120,000 bpd on Friday, three years ahead of schedule, according to Reuters. The one-billion barrel field in Wassit Province, central Iraq, is being developed by Chinese firm CNPC. The firm started production at 60,000 bpd in summer, six months ahead of schedule and it has doubled it far faster than […]

Halfaya Oil Production Up Five-Fold

Halfaya is not currently the most exciting oil field, but it is growing fast. In less than two years, the large consortium of Chinese, Malaysian and French companies developing it has increased production from 3,000 barrels per day to around 15,000 bpd, with 2,000 bpd of those having just been added with a new well, […]

Iraq Seeks New Supplies For Growing Power Needs

The Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organization has launched a tender to buy 3,400 tons of gasoil per day for 12 months to power electricity generators. In July 2011, Iraq signed a one-year deal with Iran to receive approximately 1,300 tons per day of gasoil to help power the growing needs of a country already short […]