Luaibi's time to lead

Then-Deputy Oil Minister Abdul Karim Luaibi after initialling the Majnoon oil field contract with officials from Shell and Petronas. (BEN LANDO/Iraq Oil Report)

Abdul Karim Luaibi began his career as a deputy engineer for the South Oil Company, and now takes the helm of the Oil Ministry.

  • Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (L) walks towards his seat past members of his new cabinet during a parliamentary session in Baghdad on December 21, 2010 in which lawmakers unanimously approved the new government to be headed by the incumbent Shiite premier. (ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images)

    Maliki starts second term

    New Iraqi government faces immediate challenge to keep coalition together, move forward with oil production boost and end oil-related disputes.

  • Iraqi Parliament members raising their hands to vote for the new Iraqi cabinet formed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on December 21, 2010 in Baghdad, Iraq. The government has faced numerous obstacles, from security to corruption, and has yet to move forward on an oil law. (Photo by Iraqi Prime Minister Office via Getty Images)

    Iraq's next government

    The complete list of Iraq's next government -- so far -- as approved by Parliament on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

Oil
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UPDATE: Kurdish oil demands to Maliki revealed

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (R) speaks to Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani during a congress of the latter's Kurdistan Democratic Party in the northern city of Erbil on December 11, 2010. (SAFIN HAMED/AFP/Getty Images)

According to previously undisclosed communiqué, Kurdish leaders want specific oil and revenue laws passed in 2011 and say KRG should decide constitutionality of its oil deals.

Politics
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Luaibi to head Oil Ministry, Shahristani to DPM

Iraqi Parliament Speaker Osama Al-Nujaifi (L) and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki hold a press conference in Baghdad Dec. 20, 2010, after Maliki presented part of his new government to Parliament. (AFP/Getty Images)

According to early reports of a still-unfinished government formation process, Deputy Oil Minister Abdul Karim Luaibi will be oil minister.

Energy
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Business
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Iraq to lose UN protections on oil money

Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari takes his seat before the start of a high-level United Nations Security Council meeting at UN headquarters December 15, 2010 in New York City. The Security Council is taking steps to restore Iraq's international standing by lifting sanctions including those that barred the country from obtaining a civilian nuclear program. On July 1, 2011, Iraq was officially free of UN sanctions restricting its oil revenues. (MARIO TAMA/Getty Images)

Iraq has six months to reach payment deals with Kuwait and other creditors, a doable but critical task that will make or break the country’s financial foundations.

Interviews
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Interview: Thamir Ghadhban

Thamir Ghadhban (center) and Midland Refineries Co. Director General Dathar al-Kashab in a 2005 tour of the Daura refinery. (SABAH ARAR/AFP/Getty Images)

The top oil adviser to the Iraqi prime minister talks about the Akkas gas field row, moderated oil production forecasts, and balancing Iraqi potential with market fundamentals.