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By John Lee.

Malaysian companies have been urged to look into the vast opportunities in Iraq especially in construction, transportation, infrastructure and energy, according to a report from Bernama.

The Iraqi Minister of Transport, Hadi Farhan Al-Amiri [Hadi al-Amari] (pictured), told the news agency that Iraq is seeking to tap Malaysian expertise as it looks to rebuild itself, offering Malaysian companies ample investment opportunities.

"We chose Malaysia because of its cultural diversity, and it is also one of the Muslim countries which have developed well. We want to be like this country."

Currently, the biggest Malaysian investor in Iraq is Petronas, which in involved in the Majnoon, Halfaya and Gharraf oil fields.

Speaking after the launch of the Iraq-Malaysia-Korea (IMK) Business Council in Kuala Lumpur, Safuan Group executive chairman Datuk Seri Matshah Safuan said Iraq offers abundant development opportunities. He said:

"We are undertaking an offer by the Iraq government for housing projects in collaboration with South Korean business entities, and are currently finalising the transactions."

(Source: Bernama)

The international nature of business in Iraq can be seen clearly in the short-list of companies selected to bid for the new $18-billion pipeline to the Jordanian port of Aqaba: The 17 companies represent 11 different nationalities.

Over the past week alone, we've also seen a Japanese and Malaysian consortium start commercial production of oil in Dhi Qar, and an Irish explorer commence drilling in Iraqi Kurdistan, while Chinese and American companies were awarded drilling contracts worth $348 million, and a German firm won a deal to equip a cement factory.

That being the case, it is hardly surprising that Iraq Business News has been read in 189 countries in the past month, and our readership continues to increase.

In Iraq already, or thinking about it? Iraq Business News marketing services take your message to the decision makers.

By John Lee.

The Gharraf [Garraf] oil field in Thi Qar [Dhi Qar] province, 85km north of the City of Nasiriyah, produced its first commercial output of oil on 31st August.

Iraq's Ministry of Oil said the flow rate was 35,000 barrels a day, and peak production of 230,000 bpd was expected in 2017.

Japan Petroleum Exploration (JAPEX), in partnership with Malaysian national oil company PETRONAS and the Iraqi state-owned North Oil Company (NOC), secured the winning bid for the field in December 2009 under Iraq's Second Petroleum Licensing Round.

In July 2010, JOGMEC granted equity financing to Japex Garraf Ltd., an affiliate of JAPEX, for the development of the field.

(Sources: Ministry of Oil, JOGMEC)

By John Lee.

Iraq's Ministry of Oil has announced that the long-awaited start of production at the Gharraf [Garraf] oilfield is now scheduled for the end of August.

Initial output is expected to be 35,000 barrels per day (bpd).

The company previously had a plan to start operations by September of last year, and were urged last summer by Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs, Hussein al-Shahristani to speed up progress on the project.

Malaysia’s state oil firm Petronas holds 45 percent of the oilfield development and production service project, Japan Petroleum Exploration (Japex) 30 percent, and Iraq’s North Oil Company (NOC) 25 percent.

(Source: Ministry of Oil)

By John Lee.

National Engineering Services of Pakistan (NESPAK) has awarded an irrigation project known as East Gharraf [Gharaf], reports The News.

A  spokesperson for the company said that Dr Mansoor Ahmad Hashmi, vice president of Water Resources Division at Nespak, will sign the agreement with the Ministry of Water Resources in Iraq by the end of this month.

The company will provide engineering consultancy services, including updating topographic survey data and detailed design of irrigation and drainage networks of the project area.

The project aims to providing sustainable irrigation and drainage facilities to about 390,000 acres of land in the areas of Nassiriya and Kut.

(Source: The News)

By John Lee.

Japan Petroleum Exploration (Japex) and its partners have delayed the start of production in the Gharraf [Garraf] oil field by six months, according to Bloomberg.

Production was scheduled for the end of 2012, but will now be postponed until the end of June; a company official blamed the delay on problems with Iraq’s infrastructure.

Japex President, Osamu Watanabe (pictured), said he expects initial production of 60,000 barrels a day, rising to 230,000 bpd in 2017.

Malaysia’s state oil firm Petronas holds 45 percent of the oilfield development and production service project, Japex 30 percent, and Iraq’s North Oil Company (NOC) 25 percent.

The company previously had a plan to start operations by September of last year, and were urged last summer by Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs, Hussein al-Shahristani to speed up progress on the project.

(Source: Bloomberg)

By Gary Sandiford, Olive Group’s Dubai based assessments manager.  Olive Group is a leading provider of security and technology solutions and has operated continuously in Iraq since 2003.

Overview

Olive Groups Iraq statistics are drawn from multiple sources, including media reporting and direct liaison with in country assets. Included within the statistics are a minority sub-set of serious incidents which may not be purely attributable to insurgent/terrorist groups, such as murder, kidnappings and organised crime activities.

The total number of reported incidents in Iraq for the period 26 November – 2 December 2012 was 131.  This is above the 2012 weekly average of 118 and an increase on last week’s total of 119.  This week was dominated by a two-wave coordinated attack-series on 27 & 29 November, with all regions except the South East Region being targeted.  This week also saw the reported capture of the Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) Emir, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on 2 December; a significant arrest that will in the short term at least have an impact on AQI’s strategic direction.  The two-wave coordinated nationwide attack series on 27 & 29 November 2012, involved at least 20 reported vehicle-bomb (VBIED) and suicide initiated vehicle-bomb (SVBIED) attacks, of which seventeen detonated. There were also numerous improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and shooting incidents over the period, a number of which may have been linked to the attack series.  The first wave of attacks on 27 November were predominantly focused on the northern and central provinces, with the second wave of attacks on 29 November focused on the central and southern provinces. It was reported that the attacks killed 80 people and wounded over 200.  The attacks came just days after the Shia religious observance of Ashura.

By Gary Sandiford, Olive Group’s Dubai based assessments manager.  Olive Group is a leading provider of security and technology solutions and has operated continuously in Iraq since 2003.

Overview

Olive Groups Iraq statistics are drawn from multiple sources, including media reporting and direct liaison with in country assets. Included within the statistics are a minority sub-set of serious incidents which may not be purely attributable to insurgent/terrorist groups, such as murder, kidnappings and organised crime activities.

The total number of reported incidents in Iraq for the period 24 to 30 September 2012 was 186. This is significant increase from last week’s figure of 149, and well above the 2012 weekly average of 116 incidents.  This figure is the highest for the year to date, and comes as official sources announced that September was the most violent month of 2012 so far, with a total of 365 deaths.  This week saw two complex attacks on prominent government locations in the north of the country, on 24 September the Mayoralty in Tarmiyah came under attack with small arms fire and hand-grenades, resulting in the death of a senior official and on 27 September, militants managed to gain control of Tikrit Prison following a complex attack on the facility coordinated with an uprising of inmates.  Also, on 30 September, at least 22 incidents were recorded that appeared to be part of a coordinated attack series resulting in the death of more than 32 people, and the wounding of over 100 others.  The attacks were again mainly focused on the capital Baghdad and its environs and the provinces of Ninawa, Diyala and Salah al-Din, with single likely related attacks in the provinces of Anbar andKirkuk.  Efforts to target the predominantly Shia south were also evident, with a suicide car-bomb (SVBIED) in Kut and two car-bombs (VBIEDs) that were intercepted by security forces in Diwaniyah. 

By John Lee.

The Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs, Hussein al-Shahristani, has reportedly urged the consortium developing the Gharraf oilfield in Maysan province to speed up progress on the project.

He also offered to help "eliminate the obstacles facing the work of the company",  which is a venture between the Japanese JAPEX and Malaysia's Petronas.

A delegation led by Osamu Watanabe, chairman of JAPEX, visited the Deputy PM on Sunday to discuss the development of the Gharraf and East Baghdad oil fields.

The company will open a training center for unemployed people this week.

The statement added that "both sides also suggested the establishment of a power plant of 150 megawatts which will use gas produced from the field," explaining that "The middle of next year, 2013, will see production of more than 100,000 barrels per day from the Gharraf field."

(Source: AIN)

Bloomberg reports that Malaysia's Petronas and the Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. (JAPEX) will start producing crude from the Gharraf oil field in southern Iraq by September.

Sattar Mahdi, head of field development, said the field will initially produce about 35,000 barrels a day by the end of the third quarter, gradually increasing capacity to 230,000 barrels a day within five years.

The companies recently drilled four wells in Gharraf and will drill another 13 in the next six months.

(Source: Bloomberg)