The latest news from Kurdistan – security updates, reconstruction and more – brought to you by Iraq Business News.
By Patrick M Schmidt. The Kurdish Natural Resource Committee has announced that sales of Kurdish crude oil have exceeded $4 billion over the past year. Current crude export figures hover between 120,000 to 150,000 barrels of oil per day. That crude is then piped up to Turkish ports for export. The committee also confirmed that […]
By John Lee. ShaMaran Petroleum has announced the resumption of drilling operations on the Atrush block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Drilling operations at the Chiya Khere-8 development well were suspended for a total of 21 days by TAQA (the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company), operator of the Atrush Block, as a precautionary measure, […]
Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani yesterday chaired a meeting of the Kurdistan Region’s High Council for Investment to discuss various issues related to investment and the economy. In the meeting, implications of the current situation and the latest developments in the Kurdistan Region were discussed, as well as the economic crisis and the effects that Baghdad’s […]
By Patrick M Schmidt. A Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) official has announced that security forces need more advanced equipment to clear minefields in areas once controlled by the Islamic State (IS). He also suggested there was a need for machines that can detect mines and also dispose of buried ordinance. “During the short time that […]
By Patrick M Schmidt. At a press conference held by German Defense Minister Ursula Von Der Leyen (pictured) and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German government officially announced the supply of arms to the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG). The deal includes 8,000 G36 assault rifles, 8,000 G3 rifles, ammunition, 200 Panzerfaust anti-tank systems, thirty MILAN […]
A comprehensive count carried out jointly by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the United Nations indicates that some 850,000 Iraqis have been displaced and sought refuge in all three Kurdistan Region governorates since January 2014. According to the Kurdish Ministry of Planning and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) the vast majority of the […]
By John Lee. In its half-yearly results, Premier Oil gave the following update on its operations in Iraq: "In Iraq, work continues onshore Block 12, in which Premier was awarded a non-operated 30 per cent interest in November 2012. Block 12 is an 8,000 square kilometre block in the foreland of the Zagros fold belt, […]
By John Lee. Talisman Energy has said that it still plans to sell its oil properties in Iraqi Kurdistan, despite the recent declaration that its Kurdamir Block was commerical. Reuters reports that the Calgary-based company plans to look for buyers for its Kurdistan assets as it continues restructuring to cut debt and boost its flagging […]
By John Lee. WesternZagros Resources and its co-venturer, Talisman, have submitted a Declaration of Commercial Discovery ("DoC") to the Kurdistan Regional Government ("KRG") for the oil and gas discovery in the Kurdamir Block. A phased development plan, outlining future production wells, facilities and supporting infrastructure, is under preparation for submission to the KRG. Simon Hatfield […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq have regained control of several towns east of Mosul from the Islamic State group. The Peshmerga, backed by US air strikes, are fighting to retake the Mosul Dam, […]
By Patrick M Schmidt. In an interview with BBC, Masrour Barzani (pictured), the Head of the Kurdish Security Council, has requested that the international community supply Kurdish security forces with heavy weaponry. Barzani once again emphasized that there was no need for foreign military intervention with ground troops. “We need more modern weaponry. We need […]
By Patrick M Schmidt. Kurdish security forces have announced that a military airport will open in Erbil that will be the receiving point for international military assistance to the regional government. Iraqi, Kurdish and American forces will jointly operate the airbase. While the Kurdish security forces have already received weapons from the United States, they […]
