Iraq Tourism Receives Added Boost

Leading emerging markets insurance provider launches dedicated travel insurance website for Iraq Intrepid adventurers and culture vultures can now add Iraq to list of ‘must visit’ destinations Easy on-line access to tourist insurance [Picture: Ishtar Gate, Babylon, built circa 575 B.C.] AAIB Insurance Brokers, the leading international insurance broker for Iraq, has launched the first […]

BREAKING NEWS: Iraqiya Politicians Defect, Govt Being Formed

Iraq Business News has received information late on Sunday that between 30 and 34 politicians have defected from Iyad Allawi's Iraqiya bloc, and will support Nouri al-Maliki's bid to form the next Iraqi government. Although these rumours are still unconfirmed, they are from a source trusted by Iraq Business News. The details are understood to […]

Gulf Keystone Update on Bajeel-1

Bijeel-1 Discovery Well Update Gulf Keystone notes the announcement made today by MOL Hungarian Oil & Gas Plc regarding the successful end of testing of the Bijeel-1 discovery well, in which Gulf Keystone holds a 20% Working Interest. Highlights: The cased hole test, performed at a depth of 3,804 - 3,967 meters in the Jurassic […]

MOL Updates on Kurdistan Oil Exploration Ops

MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas Plc. has informed the markets that it has finished the testing of the first well, Bijell-1 in Akri-Bijeel Block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The cased hole test performed in the depth of 3,804 – 3,967 m from Jurassic formations produced 2,700 bbl/d 12-13 °API oil through 40/64” choke. […]

US firm's $220m Housing Project in Basra

U.S. engineering firm World Solutions International (WSI) has unveiled a $220 million [257 billion Iraqi dinars] contract to build 2,500 housing units in Iraq, which is battling a housing shortage and in desperate need of investment. The engineering and construction company, based in Maryland in the United States, said on Thursday the units would include […]

Murphy Oil to Explore in Kurdistan

Murphy Oil Corporation (NYSE: MUR) announced on Thursday that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Murphy Central Dohuk Oil Co., Ltd., has finalized an agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government-Iraq (KRG) to acquire an interest in the Central Dohuk block. Murphy will operate and hold a 50% interest in the block. The Central Dohuk block covers approximately 619 […]

Could Kurdistan Unrest Hit UK-listed Oil Firms?

According to a report from Interactive Investor, foreign oil companies operating in Kurdistan have been thrust into the limelight as the race for a new Iraqi Prime Minister gets underway. There are over 25 international oil companies operating in the region, including UK-listed Gulf Keystone Petroleum (LSE: GKP) and Heritage Oil (LSE: HOIL). AIM-listed Gulf […]

Iraq Expects Initial Gas Field Contracts This Month

Iraq's Oil Ministry expects to sign the initial contracts for the Mansuriyah and Akkas gas fields on 14th November, and for the Siba gas field the following day, Abdul-Mahdy al-Ameedi, head of the ministry's licensing and contracting office said on Thursday. "And after the signing we will send the initial contracts to the cabinet for […]

$160m New Projects in Dhi-Qar

The governor of the province of Dhi-Qar held has announced that 17 infrastructure projects worth more than 185 billion dinars [$160m] have been granted to local companies, according to Aswat al-Iraq. Taleb al-Hassan told the news agency that “the province will implement another batch of projects in the regions and municipalities which have not witnessed […]