Tag Archives | Kurdistan News

The latest news from Kurdistan – security updates, reconstruction and more – brought to you by Iraq Business News.

US Dismisses KRG Tanker Case

By John Lee. An American court has dismissed an attempt by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to overturn a previous decision against its planned sale of oil to a US-based customer. The case arose when Iraq’s central government sued to seize a tanker loaded with crude oil from Iraqi Kurdistan -- the United Kalavryta (pictured) […]

KRG Moves to Outlaw Porn

By John Lee. According to a report from BasNews, members of the Kurdistan Region parliament have put forward a draft law blocking pornographic websites in Iraqi Kurdistan. MP Bahzad Darwesh from the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) told the publication that 27 MPs signed a draft law on 20th September, proposing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) […]

ShaMaran, TAQA, in Dispute over Atrush

Canadian-based ShaMaran Petroleum and TAQA, the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, are in dispute regarding the Atrush block in Iraqi Kurdistan. In a statement to the markets on Monday, ShaMaran said that its wholly owned subsidiary, General Exploration Partners (GEP), has received a Default Notice from TAQA Atrush B.V., the Operator of the Atrush Block, […]

KRG Continues Direct Oil Export Despite Sabotage

KRG continues direct oil export despite sabotage attempt on pipeline In August, direct oil export from Kurdistan Region continued despite sabotage and attempted theft on the export pipeline inside Turkey borders, which occurred on 27 July and extended to the first week of August. According to the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, Ministry of Natural Resources […]

Gas Plus Khalakan to Start drilling at Shewashan

By John Lee. Gas Plus Khalakan, a 75%-owned subsidiary of New Age, is about to commence the development drilling of three wells for Phase 1 of the approved Field Development Plan for the Shewashan oil field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Phase 1 of the development includes the installation of an Early Production Facility […]

ShaMaran Announces Atrush Results

By John Lee. ShaMaran Petroleum has announced the successful testing and completion of the Chiya Khere-8 ("CK-8") development well in the Atrush Block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The CK-8 development well was drilled in the third quarter of 2014. The well was re-entered in July 2015 and two well tests ("DST") using an […]

KRG Approves Payment to IOCs

Further to the Ministry of Natural Resources communiqué of August 3, 2015 regarding payments to the exporting international oil companies (IOCs) in the Kurdistan Region, the Kurdistan Regional Government has confirmed that the Kurdistan Regional Council for Oil & Gas Affairs expects the first tranche of regular payments to be made available to the exporting […]

UN Denounces Iraq Executions

By John Lee. The United Nations has condemned the execution by the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government of three people convicted of murder and kidnapping - the first use of the death penalty in the region in seven years. Rupert Colville (pictured), Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement: "We […]

Kurdish Fighters Struggle to Pay Bills

By Brenda Stoter for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. When Hemin Zangana was sent to the front line in August 2014, he and his fellow peshmerga fighters were determined to recapture the Mosul Dam from the Islamic State. They told each other they would […]

Video: Israel Imports 77% of its Oil from Kurdistan

A new report suggests that Israel has bought more than three-quarters of its oil from the government of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region. According to the Financial Times, Israeli firms and refineries imported over 19 million barrels of oil worth one billion dollars between May and August 20-15. That’s almost 77 percent of the crude exported […]

UK MP joins GKP Management

Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) has announced that Nadhim Zahawi (pictured) has been appointed as Chief Strategy Officer. Mr Zahawi is joining Gulf Keystone's management team and will be responsible for the evaluation of strategic options for the Company, reporting to CEO Jón Ferrier. Mr Zahawi, 48, is of Kurdish origin, and moved from Iraq to […]

Video: Departure Terminal for Iraq's Exodus

From AFP. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq's gateway to Europe, the northern city of Erbil is the first bottleneck on a long and uncertain journey for a growing number of Iraqis choosing exile: