By John Lee. The Iraqi Drilling Company (IDC) has completed drilling the first well (LF2) under its contract with Sonangol to drill 13 oil wells in the Qayyarah [Qayara] oilfield, Nineveh province. Drilling operations were conducted using the IDC 223 rig, with a horsepower capacity of 800, demonstrating the technical expertise and efficiency of IDC's […]
By John Lee. The National Investment Commission (NIC) Chairman, Dr Haider Mohammed Makiyya [Makia], met with representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to discuss potential non-oil investment projects in Iraq. Key projects under discussion included: Fibre optic cable infrastructure. High-quality silica sand investment. Soil enhancement technologies to combat desertification. Climate investment strategy, recently […]
By John Lee. The National Investment Commission (NIC) held an extensive meeting with KBR on March 4, 2025, to explore the development of Iraq's first blue ammonia plant in Basra. According to the UK's Royal Society, 'blue ammonia' is ammonia produced using 'blue hydrogen', i.e. hydrogen produced by steam methane reforming (SMR) where the carbon […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Justice has said it has successfully defended Iraq in a $1-billion international arbitration case filed by Germany's AHG Industry GmbH & Co. KG at the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). According to the statement from the Ministry on Tuesday (11th March), the dispute stemmed […]
By John Lee. The Ministry of Health has announced details of the 100-bed hospital series under the Iraq-China agreement, specifying the provinces and expected completion timeline. Ministry spokesperson Seif Al-Badr confirmed that contracts with reputable global companies are ongoing, with daily oversight from Health Minister Dr. Saleh Mahdi Al-Hasnawi. The hospitals will be constructed in: […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Minister of Finance, Taif Sami, met with Jean-Christophe Carret, the World Bank's representative in Iraq, to discuss strengthening economic and financial cooperation. The discussions focused on strategic projects aimed at stimulating economic growth, creating jobs, and developing infrastructure and human capital. Minister Sami emphasized Iraq's commitment to leveraging technical and financial […]
By John Lee. Iraq's National Investment Commission (NIC) has held a preparatory meeting for the Energy Services Economic Cities Initiative, aimed at supporting local economic diversification and attracting foreign investment in the energy sector. NIC Chairman Dr. Haider Mohammed Makia [Makiyya] emphasised that these specialised cities will serve as hubs for global and local companies […]
By John Lee. Iraq's delegation concluded its meetings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Amman (February 24-26), with participants including Minister of Finance Taif Sami and the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI). Discussions focused on Iraq's economic performance and sustainable growth prospects, with the IMF acknowledging the progress made. Key discussions […]
By John Lee. Iraq's National Investment Commission (NIC) has granted its first solar power investment license for a 1,000 MW project to France's TotalEnergies, marking what it described as a major step in the country's transition to renewable energy. NIC Chairman Dr Haider Mohammed Makiyya [Makia] confirmed that construction work has begun at the Ratawi […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Oil has signed an initial agreement with BP to develop four oilfields in Kirkuk. The agreement, signed by North Oil Company (NOC) and North Gas Company (NGC), covers the development of the Avana and Baba domes of Kirkuk, Bai Hassan, Khabbaz, and Jambur fields. Minister of Oil Hayan Abdul […]
By John Lee. Representatives from the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) member companies met with officials from the Government of Iraq (GoI) and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on March 6 to discuss the resumption of oil exports through the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline. APIKUR reiterated that its member companies are ready to restart […]
By John Lee. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani chaired a meeting on Sunday to assess summer electricity supply plans and the progress of oil sector projects. The Minister of Electricity outlined strategies to ensure stable power supply, including fuel station operations, while the Minister of Oil detailed fuel supply plans for power plants, including […]
