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Iraq takes action on illicit oil schemes

U.S. designation of a key oil sector logistics provider highlights sanctions risks, prompting Iraqi measures to combat corruption in fuel trading.
Iraqi Navy vessels take part in operations to combat illicit oil sales in August 2025. (Photo credit: GCPI)
Oct 29, 2007

KRG signs oil deal with India’s Reliance

Plus: Targeting the pirates that may be targeting Iraq’s oil Ahmad Chalabi’s back Consequences of the Turkish incursion and fight with Iraq Reliance Industries, the Indian private major, has signed a production sharing contract with the Kurdistan Regional Government for two exploration blocks, Verma and Simon Webb report for Reuters. Details are slight, and only […]

Oct 18, 2007

Iran and China answer calls by Iraq’s Electricity Ministry

Iraq has signed $1.1 billion worth of deals to construct new power plants with both Iranian and Chinese firms. Exactly how the two countries with massive demand gaps of their own are going to help supply Iraq’s power sector remains to be seen, but as James Glanz of The New York Times reports, the first […]

Oct 2, 2007

TOP STORY: Iraqi Kurds sign the next batch of oil deals, with many more to follow

Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government made a sudden but not unexpected announcement Tuesday it had signed four more controversial oil deals. While the move highlights success in the region, it comes as the central government in Baghdad struggles to meet long-term agenda items like a national oil law.Iraq’s government reacted to the news in the same […]

Oct 2, 2007

BREAKING NEWS: KRG signs 4 new Production Sharing Contracts

The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq announced Tuesday morning it has signed four additional production sharing contracts and deals for two new oil refineries. Two of the PSCs have been named: one to Heritage Energy Middle East Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Canadian firm Heritage Oil & Gas; the other to Perenco Kurdistan […]

Oct 1, 2007

TOP STORY: Biden defends Iraq federalism plan, explains the oil factor

It appears that U.S. Sen. Joe Biden’s attempt at breaking the political deadlock in Baghdad with legislation calling for a weak central government in Iraq has done more for bringing politicians together than all recent U.S. efforts combined. Of course, Iraqis (except for the Kurds) are united against his plan, as is the U.S. embassy […]

Sep 28, 2007

State Dept. slams Hunt Oil-Iraq deal

The U.S. State Department said oil companies who sign deals in Iraq with the Kurdistan Regional Government are taking a risk, and this is what they tell companies who contact them. When queried about the Hunt Oil deal signed with the KRG earlier this month, a state department spokesman said he was "not sure how […]

Sep 27, 2007

U.S. not happy with Hunt Oil

U.S. Embassy officials in Baghdad told reporters Dallas-based Hunt Oil’s deal with the Kurdistan Regional Government has "needlessly elevated tensions" with the federal Iraq government. AFP has the story from Baghdad. I’ll bring it up at Friday’s State Department briefing here in Washington, if there is one. So far the U.S. government has been fairly […]

Sep 27, 2007

Iraq oil exploits and the legal regime

I sat down with J. Jay Park in Dubai, the man who helped the Somali government craft its new oil law and has worked with all sides in Iraq oil law. He holds training sessions for the Iraq Oil Ministry, and represented Canada's Western Oil Sands in their contract with the Kurdistan Regional Government. We […]