By John Lee. Iraq is reported to have formally asked to buy ExxonMobil's share in the West Qurna 1 oil field. Basra Oil Company (BOC) director, Khalid Hamza, told Reuters that the US company is attempting to sell its 32.7-percent stake for $350 million. More here. (Source: Reuters)
By John Lee. Press reports quote Iraq's oil minister as saying that Iraq could buy ExxonMobil's 32.7-percent stake in the West Qurna 1 oil field. Ihssan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail told a news conference on Monday that the government might purchase the stake via the state-owned Basra Oil Company (BOC). BOC previously took over the Majnoon field […]
By Ahmed Mousa Jiyad. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Demise of ExxonMobil in the Iraqi Petroleum Sector A recent announcement by the Ministry of Oil (MoO) confirms months of speculation regarding ExxonMobil exiting one of the world's super-giant oilfields, i.e. […]
By John Lee. The Iraqi Cabinet held its weekly meeting on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. Following discussions, the Cabinet approved a bid from Schlumberger to drill 96 wells for the Basra Oil Company (BOC) and ExxonMobil. The company has previously worked at ExxonMobil's West Qurna 1 field in southern Iraq. […]
DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, has announced the acquisition of ExxonMobil's 32 percent interest in the Baeshiqa license in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, doubling DNO's operated stake to 64 percent (80 percent paying interest), pending government approval. The Company plans to continue an exploration and appraisal program on the license while […]
How China Took Control Of Exxon's Supergiant Iraqi Oilfield Recent reports suggest that Chinese oil giants China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) are "considering acquiring" U.S. oil titan ExxonMobil's 32.7 per cent stake in Iraq's supergiant West Qurna 1 oil and gas field. Writing in Oil Price, Simon Watkins […]
By John Lee. The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) are reportedly considering acquiring Exxon Mobil's remaining stake in Iraq's West Qurna 1 oilfield. According to sources cited by Bloomberg, the stake could fetch more than $500 million. ExxonMobil originally had a 60% stake in the field, but sold […]
DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, has announced completion of testing and appraisal of the Baeshiqa-2 exploration well in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the imminent spud of an exploration well on a separate prospect, Zartik, located 15 kilometers southeast on the same license. The testing has proven oil and gas in […]
By Ahmed Mousa Jiyad. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Ministry of Oil and the “Odious Contract’ Trap” with ExxonMobil’ Consortium Talks have intensified recently about the continuation of negotiations between the Ministry of Oil (MoO) and ExxonMobil/CNPC consortium that might […]
By John Lee. ExxonMobil's giant oil project in southern Iraq is reportedly on hold. According to Reuters, a combination of contractual difficulties and security concerns is delaying agreement on the $53-billion Southern Iraq Integrated Project, which includes the construction of a water treatment plant needed to boost oil production. The deal would have seen Exxon […]
By John Lee. A rocket has hit a residential and oil operations headquarters near Basra city, wounding three workers at an Iraqi drilling company. The short-range Katyusha missile hit a compound in Burjesia which is used by several international oil companies (IOCs), including ExxonMobil. Oil production and exports are not expected to be affected. (Sources: […]
By John Lee. Production at the West Qurna 1 oilfield has reportedly reached 465,000 barrels per day (bpd), following the completion of new crude processing facilities and oil storage tanks. Officials told Reuters on Monday that the field was previously producing about 440,000 bpd. Exxon's foreign staff were present at a ceremony to launch the […]
