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, Russia Discuss Economic and Regional Cooperation

By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani met with Mikhail Bogdanov, Special Envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to discuss strengthening Iraq-Russia relations. Talks covered economic cooperation, regional stability, and the upcoming Arab-Russian Summit, which Al-Sudani signalled his intent to attend. Discussions also focused on expanding collaboration in multiple sectors, including the Development Road […]

$800m Iraqi Refinery Expansion Project Signed

By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani has overseen the signing of an $800-million contract for the expansion of Al-Diwaniya Refinery, adding a 70,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) atmospheric distillation unit to raise total capacity to 90,000 bpd. The project includes hydrocracking, gasoline upgrading, isomerization, and environmental compliance measures. The initiative aims to modernise Iraq's refining […]

Wood Hires 500th Iraqi Local in Basra

Wood reaches 500 Iraqi local nationals hiring milestone in Basra Wood has recruited its 500th Iraqi national employee, demonstrating its commitment to building a sustainable workforce to support Iraq's energy sector. Administration Assistant, Rehab Zubaid, was recruited as her experience aligned perfectly with the role requirements. Rehab said: "It is an honour to be the […]

Iraq Expands East Baghdad Oil Field Contract Area

By John Lee. The Iraqi Council of Ministers has approved a modification to the contract area of the East Baghdad Oil Field - Southern Region, adding 95 km² west of the Diyala River. According to the Media Office of the Prime Minister, this expansion aims to exploit an estimated 710 million barrels of crude oil […]

Iraqi Oil Minister Discusses Training with Kent and Shaco

By John Lee. Iraq's Minister of Oil, Hayan Abdul Ghani, met on Monday with a delegation from UAE-based energy services company Kent, and Iraq's Al-Shalal Al-Azraq Company (SHACo). The delegation included Shalal Al-Saraifi [Dr. Shalal M. Falih], Chairman of Shaco; Matthew Bishop, Senior Vice President of Kent; and Alexon Strandberg, Managing Director of Kent Iraq. […]

Progress on Plans to Resume Kurdistan Oil Exports

By John Lee. The Iraqi Parliament has voted to approve the first amendment to the Federal Budget Law (No. 13 of 2023) for the fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025. Proposed by the Finance Committee, the amendment aims to appoint an international technical advisory firm to assess fair production and transportation costs for oil fields […]

Iraq Denies Claims of Iranian Crude Re-Export

By John Lee. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil has reiterated that all crude oil exports adhere to global standards ensuring maximum transparency. According to a statement from the Ministry, Iraqi crude is sold to reputable international companies with certified refineries under Free on Board (FOB) terms from Iraqi export terminals. The ministry categorically denies any […]

BP's "High-Stakes" Return to Kirkuk

By Shahriar Sheikhlar for OilPrice.com. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. BP's High-Stakes Return to Kirkuk BP's reemergence in Kirkuk could present significant challenges to both the oil company and Al-Sudani's belief in the future of the country's political environment. The coming […]

Report: China in Iraq

By Ingrid d'Hooghe, Vera Kranenburg, and Erwin van Veen, for The Clingendael Institute. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. China in Iraq The main objective of China's engagement in Iraq is to ensure a reliable flow of oil that diversifies Beijing's imports […]

Economist: Trump Oil Policy may Harm Iraq, Devalue Iraqi Dinar

By John Lee. A leading Iraqi economist has predicted that US President Donald Trump's pressure to reduce oil prices will harm the Iraqi economy, and could lead to a devaluation of the Iraqi dinar. In a post on Facebook, Dr Nabil Jaafar Al-Marsoumi, former Professor of Economics at Basra University, and member of the Advisory […]

Genel Energy Reports Strong Financials

Genel Energy issued the following trading and operations update in advance of the Company's full-year 2024 results, which are scheduled for release on 18 March 2025. The information contained herein has not been audited and may be subject to further review. Paul Weir, Chief Executive of Genel, said: "We start 2025 with a business that […]

$528m Development of Iranian Oilfields near Iraqi Border

By John Lee. Iran has reportedly launched a $528-million project to develop three oilfields near the Iraqi border. According to the state-owned Iranian PressTV, the fields are Sumar, Saman, and Delavaran, located in Kermanshah and Ilam provinces, part of the Naftshahr Operation Zone. The development, overseen by the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), aims to […]