Tag Archives | Kurdistan News

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

Belarus and Kurdistan Sign Trade Contract

The Kurdistan Regional Government has signed a trade contract with the Republic of Belarus, AKnews reported on Sunday. Last week a Belarusian delegation including the representatives of the Belarus trade and foreign ministries arrived in the Region. Speaking to AKnews, Fida’eddin Gardi, a member at Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Trade, told AKnews the contract […]

Gulf Keystone Commences Drilling on Sheikh Adi Block

Gulf Keystone has announced the commencement of drilling operations on its Sheikh Adi-1 exploration well effective August 4, 2010. This is the first exploration well to be drilled on the Sheikh Adi Block immediately to the west of the Company's Shaikan Block, site of last year's discovery of the giant Shaikan oil field. The Company […]

Gulf Keystone Update on Shaikan-1

Gulf Keystone has announced the results of further testing of the Butmah (1783m to 1814m) section of the Jurassic on its Shaikan-1 discovery well: Final production rates during this week's re-test were measured at 4650 bopd with an API gravity of 17.68 degrees and a gas oil ratio of 34 standard cubic feet per barrel […]

Make a Fortune in Iraq - Lord Archer

In a recent opinion piece in the Times, Lord Jeffrey Archer was enthusiastic about the opportunities to be grasped in modern Iraq: "Today [Baghdad] is a boom town, rather than a bomb site. If I were a young man, looking to make my fortune, I would be off to Iraq like a shot." " ... […]

KRG Denies US-Iraq Probe into Oil "Smuggling"

The spokesman of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has dismissed reports that a U.S.-Iraqi delegation will visit Kurdistan to investigate allegations of oil exports to Iran. Kawa Mahmoud, the KRG spokesman, told AKnews that even if the U.S. delegation arrives in the Region, the visit will be limited to issues concerning the formation of the […]

Reliance Industries to Start Oil Exploration in Kurdistan

Reliance Industries, owner of the world’s largest refining complex, plans to start exploration at two oil blocks in Kurdistan this year. Reliance, controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, invited contractors to bid for work to begin extended well testing at its Rovi and Sarta blocks starting in the fourth quarter, a tender document shows. The studies […]

$1 Billion Lawsuit over Smuggling Allegations

The Kurdistan Democratic Party has filed a one billion US dollar defamation lawsuit, the largest in Iraqi history, against an opposition newspaper, the Metro Center to Defend Journalists, which represents the Journalistic Freedoms Observatory JFO in Kurdistan region, said on Monday. On July 20, Rozhnama, a newspaper affiliated with the main opposition group Change, published […]

Iraq Loses Oil Revenue

Iraq is currently losing oil revenues of 100 thousand barrels per day (bpd) because Kurdistan is not producing oil, the spokesperson of the Iraqi Oil Ministry said on Sunday. “Kurdistan will not affect the Iraqi budget by stopping oil production, but the country is losing additional revenues that can be used in the rebuilding processes,” […]

KRG Dismisses Remarks by Iraqi Oil Minister

The spokesman of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) rejected  remarks made by the Iraqi Oil Minister, Hussein Shahrestani, on Sunday about illegal oil trade through the Kurdistan Region. Shahrestani called on the KRG to justify its position regarding exporting  oil to Iran, in a statement made to the Arabic radio channel Sawa. "In accordance with […]

Kurdistan Gold Imports Increased by Nine Times

The Kurdistan Region imported nearly 10,000 Kg of gold in the first six months of this year, nine times more than last year, a source at the Region’s Jewelry Control Directorate told AKnews. Ismael Sabir, the technical administrator in Kurdistan Region's Jewelry Control Directorate, said that 9, 449 Kg of gold were traded in the […]

Diamonds in Demand in Kurdistan

A source at the directorate of jewelry quality control in Erbil told AKnews on Sunday that 19 Kg of diamonds have been imported into the Kurdistan Region so far this year. A diamond dealer confirms that demand for diamonds has grown in the Region in recent months. “We check diamonds and other jewelry imported into […]

Egyptian Trade Delegation in Iraqi Kurdistan

The Kurdistan Cabinet advisor for international relations, said Jihan Rashid Snedi, announced on Sunday that an Egyptian trade delegation will visit the Kurdistan Region. "The Egyptian trade delegation plans to talk with the chief of Kurdistan Chamber of Commerce about reconstruction, investment, business, technology, agriculture and higher education during its stay in Kurdistan," Snedi noted. […]