UPDATE: Depot fire temporarily cuts Iraqi crude exports

An explosion at the Zubair-1 depot has taken up to 1.5 million bpd of Basra Medium crude exports offline, as Iraq scrambles to divert production to storage and implement workarounds to recover export volumes.

Fire fighters and civil defense corps members extinguish the fire at the Zubair-1 pumping station following a gas leak explosion on Oct. 26, 2025.

Energy

Iraq races to finalize oil deals ahead of elections

Sudani administration activates a major contract with BP and strikes preliminary agreements with ExxonMobil and Chevron as national elections near and deal-making window starts to shut.

Politics

Political disunity clouds KRG fiscal and energy outlooks

Deadlocked talks over forming a new regional Cabinet highlight a bitter rivalry between two ruling parties that poses risks to Kurdistan's economy and energy sector.

Security

Deadly political divisions raise risks for Kurdistan

Rivalries between political leaders in Sulaimaniya have exploded into violence and undermined relations between Iraqi Kurdistan’s two ruling parties at a key political moment.

Interviews

Pre-election Q&A series: Shwan Mohammed Kalari, rapporteur of the KDP in the Iraqi Parliament

Ahead of a consequential election for Iraq’s energy sector, key political figures give their outlook on the upcoming vote and subsequent government-formation process.