The Exxon Mobil Bombshell
The following article was published on Monday by Reidar Visser, an historian of Iraq educated at the University of Oxford and currently based at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. It is reproduced here with the author’s permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq […]
Shahristani, Poneman Discuss Economic Relations
Iraqi Deputy Premier for Energy Affairs Dr. Hussein Shahristani met US Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman (pictured) on Tuesday to discuss economic relations between the two countries. Aswat al-Iraq reports that the meeting was attended by the US ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey. Shahristani expressed Iraq's readiness to supply world markets with oil based on […]
Investors to Get Visas within 48 hours in Basra
Basra Investment Commission announced on Tuesday that it had agreement reached with Iraqi authorities to grant investment visas within 48 hours. The Commission's Chairman said this would be a major step in reducing red tape, and will help investors to seize opportunities and contribute to the development of the economy. (Source: BIC)
EODT Receives Iraqi Mine Action Accreditation
EOD Technology, Inc. (EODT), a leader in stability operations support services worldwide, has received its Mine Action accreditation from Iraq’s Ministry of Environment. With this accreditation in place, EODT will expand its current operating footprint in Iraq to support the country’s infrastructure reconstruction and development initiatives. EODT has been operating in Iraq continuously since 2003 […]
Iraq Approves $17bn Gas-Capture Contract With Shell, Mitsubishi
Reuters reports that Iraq's cabinet approved a $17 billion deal with Royal Dutch Shell and Mitsubishi on Tuesday to capture gas that is now being flared off in the oilfields around the southern oil hub of Basra. The 25-year venture is expected to help Iraq make use of more than 700 million cubic feet per […]
Iraq and Energy: A Political Perspective
Speech by British Ambassador, Michael Aron at the Kurdistan-Iraq: Oil & Gas Conference Mr Chairman, Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you for inviting me to speak at Kurdistan-Iraq Oil & Gas 2011. The timing could hardly be better.. as the country with greatest potential for increasing conventional oil production in the medium term, the […]
KRG Confirms ExxonMobil Contract
The Kurdistan-Iraq Oil and Gas Conference in Erbil heard confirmation that the Kurdistan Regional Government has signed an oil exploration contract with ExxonMobil, the world's largest oil company. Ashti Hawrami, the minister for natural resources, told the conference that the KRG had signed a contract with ExxonMobil and that the federal government was kept informed […]
Is Chevron Also in Talks with KRG?
Following the confirmation that ExxonMobil will be exploring six blocks in Iraqi Kurdistan, oil major Chevron is said to be in talks with the Kurdish government to begin exploration activity in the region. KRG’s natural resources minister Ashti Awrami revealed that his government was in talks with 3 major oil companies to begin exploration in […]
An ISX Year-end Jinx?
Since 2007, the Rabee Securities RSISX index has ended on a down note every year except 2010. (See chart.) In 2007, 2008, and 2009, the index peaked in July, August, and November, respectively, subsequently falling 27%, 7%, and 9% from those peaks to the respective year-end closes. 2010 was exceptional because the new government was […]
New Tender From NGC
North Gas Company announces a new Di Ethanol Amine (D.E.A) tender. Offers must be in sealed envelopes (technical offer) with indent number and closing date mentioned on the envelopes, addressed to the attention of B.B.C. (Broadly Bids Box) at North Gas Company , PO box: 16, Kirkuk , Iraq. Please note the following: -Delivery date […]
Genel Energy Plans New Iraq-Turkey Pipeline
The Financial Times reports that Genel Energy plans to build a pipeline that will connect its fields in the Kurdish regions in northern Iraq to a port in Turkey on the Mediterranean. Reuters reports that the pipeline will run from DNO's Tak Tak field to Faysh Khabour, which is the upstation in the northern part […]
45% Increase in Iraqi Students at US Universities
The number of Iraqi students enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher education in the 2010-11 academic year increased from 423 to 616 students, a 45.6 percent increase compared to the previous year. This represents the largest annual increase and the most Iraqi students studying at U.S. universities since the late 1980s. Iraq and the United […]



