Shares in Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) closed up over 21% on Tuesday on renewed bid rumours, having been up as much as 40% in intraday trading. The company, which issued an update on operations on Monday, last month denied that is was in takeover talks, following rumours that ExxonMobil was considering making a bid for […]
Kurdish oil minister Ashti Hawrami (pictured) has confirmed the names of the six exploration blocks awarded by the Kurdistan Regional Government to ExxonMobil: Al Qush, northwest of Erbil city and formerly assigned to Komet Group but withdrawn for lack of development; Bashiqa, southeast of Al Qush town; Pirmam in Erbil; Betwata; Qura-Hanjeer, southwest of Chamchamal; […]
Shares in Gulf Keystone Petroleum (JKP) jumped on Monday following yesterday's report that U.S. oil major ExxonMobil was considering a takeover bid at five times the company's closing share price on Friday. The shares were up as much as 34% in early trading on Monday, but had given up half those gains by mid-afternoon. Reuters […]
ExxonMobil is reportedly considering an $11 billion takeover of Kurdistan-focused explorer Gulf Keystone Petroleum. Reuters, citing the Independent on Sunday newspaper, said that Exxon is considering making an estimated 800 pence per share bid for the British company, which has made huge oil finds Iraqi Kurdistan. Neither company could be reached for comment by Reuters […]
Nouri al-Maliki has said that the iraqi Government has no intention to cancel the contract with ExxonMobil to develop the West Qurna 1 oil field. "We haven't cancelled its contract in the south," said Mr. Maliki in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "We are looking for a way for [ExxonMobil's] other contracts in […]
ExxonMobil's Chief Executive, Rex Tillerson (pictured), refused on Tuesday to answer questions about the company's deal with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG). When asked at a World Petroleum Congress in Qatar if he thought the contracts would hold up under Iraqi law, Tillerson said, "I'm not in a position to comment on that". At a […]
Iraq is reported to be in talks with the United States about the exploration deals signed by ExxonMobil in Iraqi Kurdistan without Baghdad's approval, according to a report from Reuters. Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs Hussain Al Shahristani (pictured) said that Iraq was considering several options, not sanctions, over the deal and there was […]
Washington supports Baghdad's position regarding ExxonMobil's oil contracts with the Kurdistan Regional Government, according to reports from AKnews. Mahmoud Othman, a Representative from the Kurdish Blocs Coalition in the Iraqi Council of Representatives, told AKnews the measures the Iraqi government has taken towards Exxon are political and not economic. He said Baghdad believes this company […]
Russian news agency RBC Daily reports that Lukoil, Russia’s second-largest oil producer, is looking to expand its business in Iraq through buying part of ExxonMobil's 60% stake in the West Qurna 1 field. If the deal goes ahead Lukoil would hold 37.5% of the business. It is already in partnership with Norway's Statoil in the […]
The furore over the contract signed by US oil giant Exxon with Iraqi Kurdistan is another sign that Iraq urgently needs a new oil and gas law. As this primer from Niqash explains, the lack of this law could well be a sign that the dream of united Iraq is over. Any opinions expressed are […]
The President of Iraqi Kurdistan said on Wednesday that the region will go ahead with its exploration deal with U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil despite objections from Baghdad. According to Reuters, Masoud Barzani (pictured) said Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was told of the deal prior to its signing and had no objection, and called […]
Iraq's oil minister said on Sunday that Iraq will send ExxonMobil a further letter demanding an explanation of its contract with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) after receiving no response so far from the U.S. oil group, according to a report from Reuters. "So far we have sent Exxon three letters and tomorrow we will […]
