Gulf Keystone Updates on Iraqi Operations
On Monday, Gulf Keystone announced the arrival of the initial loads of production facility equipment to the Shaikan field location and the commencement of the rig move by the AOS Discover-1 drilling rig to the Sheikh Adi-1 exploration well site. The first pre-packaged production equipment units have arrived at the production facility construction site near […]
Top Oil Decision Makers to Meet in London
The Iraq Petroleum 2010 conference will bring together high profile speakers, senior decision makers, leading businessmen, policy makers and advisors to debate key strategic issues, share expertise and exchange views. As Iraq plans to quadruple its oil production and the second round of bidding is complete, this year we will be focusing on longer term […]
Iraqi Provinces Permitted to Construct Power Plants
The government has given the green light to Iraqi provincial authorities to invest in power plants. The move comes amid reports that the central government has almost given up hope of revamping the national grid on its own. The move is also part of the government’s new policy to grant provincial authorities and private entrepreneurs […]
Visa Process for Oil Expats to be Streamlined
Iraq’s oil minister, Hussain al-Shahristani, has addressed some of the complaints by oil majors about bureaucracy hampering their efforts to bring staff and equipment into the country, according to a report from Reuters. Getting visas for oil industry professionals entering Iraq to work on oilfield development contracts ranks as a major hassle facing oil companies […]
Kuwait Gives Initial Approval for Oil Border Crossing
Kuwait has given initial approval to open a special border crossing with neighbouring Iraq for international oil firms working there, an Iraqi oil official said on Monday, according to a report from Arab News. “There is kind of initial approval from Kuwait’s side,” Abdul-Mahdy al-Ameedi, director of the Oil Ministry’s licensing office, told Reuters. “This […]
Najaf Refinery Increases Production
The Najaf refinery increased production of oil derivatives by 32% in the first half of 2010, compared to the same period last year, according to the refinery’s director. “The refinery produced in the first half of 2010 33.4 million liters of Kerosene compared to 26 million liters in the same period last year, an increase […]
PM Calls for Development of Economic Relations with South Korea
Iraq's Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, called for the development of economic and trade relations with South Korea, according to a statement of his office on Monday. “On Monday (July 19) Al-Maliki held a meeting with a delegation of South Korean companies, Ambassador Su B. Park, and Head of the National Investment Commission Sami al-Aaraji,” said […]
Arabtec Considers New Baghdad Stadium
Arabtec Construction is considering a contract to build a 100,000-seat stadium on the outskirts of Baghdad, The National has reported. "We considered it a couple of times in the past but decided against it because of the ongoing security situation," chief executive, Tom Barry said. "We were recently asked to look at the stadium project […]
Baghdad Mayoralty Allocates $6m to City
The Baghdad Mayoralty has allocated ID7 billion [$6m] to the Iraqi capital, the mayoralty said in a statement on Monday, received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “ID5 billion will be to develop infrastructure in Baghdad, and ID2 billion will be to purchase specialized equipment and laboratory devices,” the release said. It noted that the funds […]
Water Resources, Land Reclamation Project in Karbala
The Ministry of Water Resources celebrated the opening of a major land reclamation project in Husseiniya, which is located on the East of the Euphrates River. Karbala's governor, Prof Amal Al-din Mejid Al-Herr, was also in attendance. A press statement issued by the ministry said that the project included a network of irrigation channels and […]
Oil Export Facilities to Cost $50 Billion
Iraq’s plans to expand its oil pipelines and other export facilities will cost $50 billion, the Middle East Economic Survey reported today, without saying where it got the information. As part of this program, the country intends to build a pipeline that would carry heavy oil from the Majnoon, East Baghdad, Qayara and Najma fields […]
Occidental, Pertamina Consider Sonangol's Iraq Deals
US oil major Occidental Petroleum Corp and Indonesian state oil firm Pertamina have shown an interest in taking a stake in Sonangol's two Iraqi oilfield development projects, a company official said on Sunday. "Our proposal will be for Sonangol to have 45 per cent in Najmah and Qayara [Qaiyarah]," Sonangol executive J. da Graca Luis […]