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Russian oil company Rosneft has completed its due diligence on infrastructure of the export oil pipeline in Iraqi Kurdistan (‘KROP”) and will shortly finalise the legally binding documents on oil pipeline project under the Investment Agreement signed at St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June 2017.

The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq and the Company intend further strengthen and develop cooperation and consider to expand Rosneft footprint in the region. The parties have negotiated Rosneft’s opportunity to participate in the project on funding of the construction project of Kurdistan Region’s natural gas pipeline infrastructure. It is expected that a separate agreement under this project will be finalized by year-end.

The Kurdistan Region gas pipeline will not only supply natural gas to the power plants and domestic factories throughout the region, but also enable exporting of substantial fuel volume to Turkey and European market in the coming years. The investment in the project will be on under a BOOT arrangement, to be recovered through tariff charges and an agreed rate of return basis. The pipeline capacity is expected to handle up to 30 BCMA for gas export, in addition to facilitating gas supply to the key domestic users.

Rosneft and Kurdistan Regional Government are negotiating implementation of the project for construction of gas pipeline system on a fast track basis. Commissioning of the pipeline and first domestic supplies are planned for 2019 and export supplies – 2020.

Successful implementation of the project under discussion will enable Rosneft to play a leading role in the building and expanding Kurdistan Region’s gas transport infrastructure and create synergy with existing projects for development of the oil and gas fields of the 5 blocks awarded to the Company in the region.

Sources close to the deal told Reuters that the investments would amount to more than $1 billion.

(Sources: Rosneft, Reuters)

By John Lee.

A recent report suggests that, in the uncertainty following the recent Angolan election, the Iraqi assets of the state-owned oil company Sonangol are in play.

Writing in Seeking Alpha, Jay Currie says the the Najmah and Qaiyarah [Qayara] oil fields may be transferred to Russian service company Eurasia Drilling, and questions the involvement of two Jordanian consultants and a Hong Kong-based company called United Energy Group.

The full article can be read here.

(Source: Seeking Alpha)

Moscow is holding negotiations with Iraqi authorities on the possibility of moving the Russian embassy, which currently occupies a building in Baghdad’s Mansour district, to a safer area of the Iraqi capital city, local media reported, citing a Russian diplomatic source.

"The negotiations to provide Russia with a new site for the embassy in Baghdad are underway. In general, the Iraqis are ready to provide it.  We are now assessing the propriety of accepting the site that the Iraqi authorities are proposing as this depends on the safety and the type of construction", the source told press.   The source added that it was dangerous to stay in the current Embassy building, and only men without their families were sent to work there.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov (pictured) has reaffirmed Moscow's support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Following a meeting in Moscow between Bogdanov and the chief of Iraq’s anti-terrorist service Talib al-Kenani, Bogdanov also stated that Russia opposes any external interference in Iraq's internal affairs.  He also said that that Russia will help to enhance the anti-terrorist capabilities of the Iraqi government.

For his part, al-Kinani said that Baghdad highly valued the cooperation with Russia in the anti-terrorism fight.

(Source: GardaWorld)

By John Lee.

Iraqi Airways plans to re-commence regular flights between Baghdad and Moscow later in September, following a break of 13 years.

The news came following talks between Russia’s aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia and the Iraqi Ambassador to Russia Haidar Mansour Hadi.

(Source: Rosaviatsia)

By John Lee.

Russia's Gazprom Neft has reportedly started production of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) at its Badra field in Wasit Province.

According to Energy Business Review, the company has started trial shipments of LPG to Iraq’s state-owned gas filling company, and to the Az-Zubaydiyah power station.

The facility is expected to be operation in the fourth quarter of this year.

(Source: Energy Business Review)

By John Lee.

PJSC Cherkizovo Group, the largest vertically integrated meat and feed producer in Russia, today announces that its Vasilyevskaya poultry production facility has received permission to export poultry products to Iraq.

The Vasilyevskaya poultry farm, which is Cherkizovo Group's largest poultry production facility, was granted the right to export to Iraq. The permit was issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture in August 2017.

A key requirement for the export of poultry meat to Iraq is the observance of halal - a set of rules in the Islamic religious tradition that sets strict guidelines for the slaughter of animals.

The slaughter facilities at the Vasilyevskaya poultry farm comply with these rules, according to certification from the Halal International Centre for Standardisation and Certification of the Council of Muftis of Russia. The Group's halal products are produced under the brands "Latifa" and "Dajajti" and are intended both for export as well as for meeting the domestic demand for these products.

The Vasilievskaya poultry farm is located in Bessonovsky district of Penza region. The enterprise was founded in 1978, and in 1998 it joined Cherkizovo Group. Today, it is the largest poultry factory in the Group and one of the highest capacity poultry producing facilities in Russia.

Obtaining the right to export products to Iraq is a significant step in the development of the Group's export potential. Exports increasingly important for the Group in current market conditions. Iraq is one of the largest markets in the Middle East. The requirements for imported poultry meat are very strict. Cherkizovo Group products today meet the most stringent international requirements for biosafety. The Group has already received permits to export to Egypt, the UAE, Tanzania and the EU.

(Source: PJSC Cherkizovo Group)

Iraqi forces now control all parts of Mosul, Iraq, while tough fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria continues in Raqqa, Syria, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters here today.

Since the height of ISIS's power in 2014, the coalition has retaken more than 70 percent of formerly ISIS-controlled territory in Iraq and 50 percent in Syria, he said, and the coalition fighting ISIS continues to grow.

“There are now 73 partners in that coalition, which is 69 countries plus the European Union, NATO, the Arab League and Interpol,” the International Police Organization, he said, noting that coalition partners in Iraq and Syria have retaken more than 44,400 square miles of territory, and freed 5 million people from ISIS control.

Iraq Operations

In an update of operations beginning with Iraq, Davis said that Iraqi forces continue to conduct detailed clearance operations of rebel caves and tunnel systems in Mosul's old city, looking for any remaining ISIS fighters and seeking to identify explosive devices that could threaten friendly forces or civilians.

The old city is the focus of cleanup operations, he said, and the Iraqi army, the Emergency Response Division forces, the Counter Terrorism Service and federal police are holding sectors in Mosul until the holding force takes over security.

“There's been only one coalition strike in Mosul in the last week and a single-digit number of direct-fire engagements in Mosul in the last week. These are indicators of the improved security and stability situation there,” Davis said.

Before the single strike over the past week, the last time the coalition made no strikes on Mosul was Sept. 15, he added.

The coalition has conducted multiple strikes in Tal Afar this week against supply caches, vehicle-borne bomb factories and command-and-control locations, Davis said.

Russia will supply a large batch of tanks to Iraq this year, according to the Russian TASS news agency in a report on July 20.

The report cited Vladimir Kozhin, the Russian president's aide for military technical cooperation as stating that the contract was significant and would likely be followed by ‘other deals’.

The report stated that the total sum of the contract may exceed $1 billion and will be facilitated through Russia's Uralvagonzavod Corporation (UVZ), the supplier of the tanks.

According to the TASS report, Iraq made the decision to purchase the Russian military hardware following the successful performance of the tanks in Syria.

(Source: GardaWorld)

By John Lee.

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq is to export potatoes to Russia.

According to a report from Basnews, production has exceeded demand, allowing 500 tons of the product will be exported to Russia this year.

Speaking at the opening of a factory to produce fried potato chips, the KRG's Minister for Agriculture, Abdulsattar Majid [Abdulstar Majeed], said some of the surplus has also been sold to Saudi Arabia and other neighbouring countries.

(Source: Basnews)

By John Lee.

Russia’s Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) will supply 73 of its T-90S/SK tanks to Iraq this year, according to information from the corporation's 2016 annual report, published on Tuesday,

According to the report from TASS, T-90S is an export variant of the Russian-made T-90 third-generation main battle tank, while the T-90SK main battle tank is designed to provide unit control and communication with command posts and to act in unit formations.

(Source: TASS)