By Patrick Schmidt. In addition to current energy holdings in Syria, the Islamic State of the Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) holds seven different oil fields in Iraq. This past month the militants seized Ain Zalah and Batma oil fields. They had previously gained control of Najma, Qayara, Himreen, Ajeel and Balad oil fields. The […]
By Patrick Schmidt. Crude oil reached $105 dollars per barrel late last week despite the ongoing crisis and advance of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The increase came after a period of unusually low oil prices in the global market. Oil has fallen over $10 dollars over the past two months […]
The following article features an interview with Mantid International CEO Ginger Cruz. Robert Tollast’s opinions expressed in the article do not necessarily represent the views of Mantid International, nor do the opinions expressed here necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The vast majority of Iraqis, Shi'a, Kurd and Sunni, are preparing themselves to […]
By John Lee. DNO International ASA ("DNO"), the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today announced that production from the Tawke field in the Kurdistan region of Iraq reached 120,021 barrels of oil per day in May, the first time average monthly production has exceeded 100,000 barrel per day. May production was split 60-40 between local […]
By John Lee. Michael Knights, a Fellow at the Washington Institute of Near East Policy, has spoken to the Anadolu news agency about problems and opportunities with Iraq's energy sector. In the piece, entitled Iraq Potentially Turkey's Biggest Energy Supplier, Knights discusses the lack of institutional and human capacity which has hindered some of Iraq's more ambitious […]
By John Lee. DNO International ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas company, today announced first quarter 2014 net profit of USD 24 million on operating revenue of USD 113 million. Production climbed by more than a quarter from the previous quarter to 45,744 barrels of oil equivalent per day on a company working interest (CWI) basis. The […]
By John Lee. Petroceltic International plc, the independent oil and gas exploration company focused on the Middle East, North Africa, Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, has announced an update on its operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Egypt and Romania. Below we have included their operations update for the Kurdistan region of Iraq: Kurdistan: The Shakrok-1 […]
By John Lee. Bayshore Petroleum Corp is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Letter of Intent with International Enhanced Petroleum Services (EPS), a private UAE company with its registered office located in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, UAE and operating in Iraq, to construct a pilot heavy oil upgrading facility utilizing a […]
By John Lee. Iraq has announced the award of two contracts totalling nearly a billion dollars to Britain's Petrofac and China's CPECC, Reuters reports. The deals, for services at the super-giant Rumaila field near Basra, were worth $535.8 million for Petrofac and $425 million for China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation. Rumaila is a field of key strategic […]
By John Lee. Writing in Forbes, correspondent Christopher Helman has written an autobiographical study of Lukoil CEO Vagit Alekperov (pictured) and the company's long term ambition in developing the giant West Qurna 2 field in southern Iraq. Helman notes the stunning scale of the endeavor, which has spanned several decades including a deal with Saddam in 1997 […]
By John Lee. Iran have announced that drilling will begin next year at the Azar oil field, which is known as Badra on the Iraqi side of the border. On the Iraqi side, Badra is operated by Gazprom Neft. Saying that initial activity should yield some 30,000 bpd with a later target of 65,000 bpd, […]
By John Lee. Abullah Akrayi, the Kurdish representative for Iran affairs has announced plans for two pipelines to Iran, intended to exchange refined oil and natural gas from Iran for crude oil from the KRG, Anadolu Agency reports. Iranian trade envoy to Iraq Rostem Qasimi apparently signed the deal in Erbil with KRG natural resources minister Ashti […]
