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 […]
The Iraqi Oil Ministry said on Saturday that it will prevent ExxonMobil from participating in the fourth oil licensing round if it does not cancel its contracts with the Kurdistan Regional Government, according to AKnews. Abdul Mahdi al-Amidi, Director General of the Contracts and Licenses Department, said that Exxon Mobil violated the working laws of […]
Dr Hussain al-Sharistani, Iraq’s deputy prime minister responsible for energy, told reporters in London that Baghdad is considering its action against ExxonMobil for "breaching the law" by entering into an exploration agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG): "ExxonMobil has written to the Iraqi Government about this, and they have received the response from the […]
CNN's Arwa Damon brings this report from Kurdistan on the continuing struggle between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad's Ministry for Oil over the right to grant oil contracts in the Kurdish region. (Source: CNN)
According to Dow Jones, the Iraqi oil ministry could ask Shell to develop Iraq's supergiant West Qurna Phase 1 oil field in southern Iraq, if the government decides to terminate ExxonMobil's contract after it signed a deal to explore for oil in Iraqi Kurdistan. "We have many options," said Abdul Mahdy al-Ameedi, head of the […]
The Financial Times reports on Thursday that Shell has pulled out of oil-development talks with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in an effort to protect lucrative investments in southern Iraq,. The newspaper cited people familiar with the discussions as saying Baghdad is seeking to impose a de facto ban on companies operating in Kurdistan. Following […]
