Tag Archives | Kurdistan News

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

KRG Claims Exxon's Tillerson Committed to Kurdish Deals

Further to the rumours that Exxon Mobil plans to abandon it's contract at West Qurna-1 in favour of pursuing exploration deals in Iraqi Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has issued the following statement: "In a meeting with President Masoud Barzani in Washington DC this week, the CEO of Exxon Mobil, Rex Tillerson [pictured] stated […]

Exxon Mobil Rumoured to Abandon West Qurna

Sources in Baghdad have told Iraq Business News that Exxon Mobil has decided to abandon its contract at the giant West Qurna-1 oilfield in Southern Iraq, in favour of pursuing its interests in Iraqi Kurdistan. In recent days the Iraqi Ministry for Oil has claimed to have received a second letter from Exxon in which […]

KRG Denies Exxon has 'Frozen' Oil Contract

Ashti Hawrami, the natural resources minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), said on Monday that Exxon Mobil is honoring its oil exploration contracts in the region, contradicting the statement from Baghdad's Oil Minster, Abdul Kareem Luaibi [Elaibi], who said the deal had been frozen. “What comes out of Baghdad is about 90 percent, with […]

Oil Minister says Exxon Freezes Kurdish Oil Deals

Iraqi Oil Minister Abdul Kareem Luaibi [Elaibi] said on Monday that Exxon Mobil had sent a second letter to Iraq's oil ministry confirming its decision to freeze its oil deals with the Kurdistan Regional Governmment (KRG), according to a report from Reuters. The decision may lead the Iraqi government to allow Exxon Mobil to re-enter […]

Shahristani Accuses Kurdistan of Oil Smuggling

The ongoing dispute between Iraq's central government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) reached new heights on Monday as Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister for Energy, Hussain al-Shahristani (pictured), accused the northern region of smuggling rather than meeting its export obligations. According to Reuters, Shahristani told reporters: "Most of the crude produced in the […]

DNO Updates on Operations in Kurdistan

Following Sunday's statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government stopping oil exports from the region, Norway's DNO International has issued the following statement: As of 1 April 2012, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has instructed DNO International ASA to halt delivery of that portion of crude oil produced from the […]

Oil Exports from the Kurdistan Region Halted

The export of oil from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has been stopped from today because the federal government in Baghdad has not honoured its payment commitments, Kurdistan's Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) said on Sunday. “After consultation with the producing companies, the Ministry has reluctantly decided to halt exports until further notice. There have […]

President Barzani Leads Official Delegation to Bulgaria

On an official visit to Sofia, Bulgaria last week, Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani held meetings with the country’s leaders to promote bilateral relations and cooperation. President Barzani met President Rosen Plevneliev and talked about the many cultural and historical similarities that the people of Kurdistan and Bulgaria share. “Our peoples have much in common. […]

Iraq Approves $560m for Kurdish Oil Payments

Reuters reports that Iraq's central government has approved a payment of close to $560 million to oil producers in Kurdistan, following a threat from the Kurdish authorities to halt exports. On Monday, the KRG said it had reduced exports to 50,000 bpd and warned it would stop them altogether if Baghdad was not forthcoming with […]

KRG May Halt Crude Exports if Baghdad Withholds $1.5bn

Crude exports from the Kurdistan region of Iraq dropped to 50,000 bpd and may cease in a month if Baghdad refuses to pay about $1.5 billion owed to producers, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) authorities have said. Kurdistan started shipping oil again in February 2011 after an interuption of more than a year following a long-standing […]

KRG Demands Say Over Kirkuk Oil Contracts

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has issued the follow statement on the reported granting of a contract to BP for the development of oilfields in Kirkuk: Neither Iraq’s federal oil ministry nor state-owned oil companies have the right to unilaterally award contracts to develop currently producing fields in Kirkuk province or in other adjacent areas, […]