Qatar's Woqod to Build Oil Infrastructure in Basra
The Qatari petroleum company, Woqod, has revealed a plan to invest in the oil sector through the construction of oil warehouses for logistic support to oil companies in Basra. The representative of the company, Mr. Khaleel Hassan, said during his meeting with the deputy chairman of Basra Investment Commission that his company has several similar […]
Conditions Improve in Iraq
Despite Monday’s deadly attack against a police facility in Anbar province, overall levels of violence declined in Iraq over recent months. At least 676 people were killed between July and September as a result of over 700 separate terrorist and militant attacks. This constituted an improvement from the second quarter of the year (April-June) when […]
Iraq's Oil and Gas Law Threatens Stability of Govt
Who controls the Iraqi oil fields that could make the nation one of the richest in the region? As political rivals squabble, that question could be one that topples the precariously balanced Iraqi government, according to this report from Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views […]
ShaMaran Identifies 2 New Oil-Bearing Zones in Pulkhana
ShaMaran Petroleum has provided the following operational update on the Pulkhana-9 appraisal well: Pulkhana-9 reached a total depth of 2333 meters on July 23, 2011 in the Cretaceous. A comprehensive testing program of six well tests (“DST”) has been completed and oil has been recovered in four separate reservoir intervals, including two new reservoirs that […]
Iraqi Architect Wins Top Prize
The Evelyn Grace Academy, a cutting-edge new secondary school in Brixton, south London by Zaha Hadid Architects has won the prestigious £20,000 RIBA Stirling Prize 2011 for the best new European building built or designed in the United Kingdom. This is the second year running that Zaha Hadid Architects have won the RIBA Stirling Prize; […]
Iran, Iraq pay $1.2 bn to Battle Sandstorms
A top Iranian environment official said on Monday that Tehran and Baghdad will jointly invest $1.2 billion [1.4 trillion Iraqi dinars] in a project to reduce the number of sand dunes in a bid to cut the number of sandstorms. "In order to reduce gravel levels we have signed an agreement with a foreign company […]
Transport Ministry wants More Money for Railway Projects
Iraq's Ministry for Transport has complained that the $60 million (7o billion Iraqi dinars) that were allocated in the 2012 budget for the development and rehabilitation of the Iraqi Republic Railways Company (IRR) are not enough. "The Ministry of Transport tries to attract investment companies in order to finance its railway projects," Ministry spokesman Jawad […]
Fluor Drops Protest against $500m KBR Contract
Fluor Corporation has dropped a protest filed last month with the Government Accountability Office challenging a $500 million award to KBR for a logistics support contract in Iraq, according to a report from Bloomberg. According to the news agency, a Fluor spokesman said the company had no comment. The contract was on hold until the […]
Gulf Keystone Seeks Algeria Buyers to Focus on Iraq
Gulf Keystone's Legal and Commercial Director, Tony Peart, said the company is seeking a buyer for its 38 percent holding in Algeria’s HBH project, in addition to selling its 20 percent interest in the Akri Bijeel block in Iraqi Kurdistan. “This is a strategic decision to sell because we want to focus on larger opportunities […]
Crude Exports Resume through Ceyhan Pipeline
Iraq has reportedly resumed crude exports through its Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline at a rate of 400,000-450,000 bpd, after a suspension of six days. Iraq’s oil exports through the main oil pipeline from Kirkuk to Ceyhan in Turkey had stopped entirely due to leakage caused by erosion, according to Aswat al-Iraq. A source at North Oil Company […]
Foreign Minister Zebari Denies Kuwaiti Bribes
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari denied allegations that he or his ministry had been bribed by Kuwait in order to settle the dispute over Kuwait's new Mubarak Port, according to a report from AKnews. Although Zebari stated that these allegations would not deserve a response, he labeled the allegations as "fabricated" and "defamatory". "The Ministry […]
Iraqi Microfinance Conference Discusses Greater Outreach to Poor
Iraq’s 12 microfinance institutions in cooperation with the USAID-Tijara Provincial Economic Growth Program are holding an Inclusive Financial Services Stakeholders Conference in Erbil on October 3 and 4. The theme of this year’s microfinance event will be “Transforming Inclusive Financial Services for Increasing Outreach”. The conference will bring together leaders from 12 microfinance institutions (MFIs) […]