Iraq finalizes Mansuriya contract for next government

Sinopec has agreed to commercial terms for developing the Diyala province gas field, but Iraq's current caretaker government is not signing a binding contract.

Ali Maarij, head of the Oil Ministry's Petroleum Contracts and Licensing Directorate, speaks at a ceremony in Baghdad on Jan. 20, 2022 to celebrate the finalization of a contract for the Mansuriya gas field. (Photo credit: Oil Ministry)

Energy

Iraq’s December oil surge caps a year of recovering production

Crude output increased to nearly 4.5 million bpd in December, as Iraq continued opening the taps in response to loosening OPEC-plus quotas.

Politics

KRG shuts border with Syrian Kurds, cutting oil artery

The closure blocks a major source of funding for the Rojava administration, a U.S. ally in the fight against IS.

Security

Northern exports resume after Turkey pipeline explosion

The temporary outage had no apparent impact on oil field operations or export volumes, but the cause of the incident is a matter of uncertainty and potential concern.

Interviews

Q&A: Alaa Abdul-Hussein Salman, director of the Basra Investment Commission

Basra's investment chief discusses the opportunities and obstacles as the province pursues new projects.