Energy

January oil production inches higher despite Rumaila dip

Nationwide crude production increased by just over 50,000 bpd as state-operated Basra fields ramped up to compensate for a temporary decline at Rumaila.

Deputy Oil Minister Bassim Mohammed Khudair (center) and Basra Oil Company Director General Bassim Abdul Karim (right) tour part of the Ratawi project led by TotalEnergies in February 2026. (Photo credit: Oil Ministry)

Dec 18, 2025

Chevron eyes Lukoil’s Iraq assets

The American company is emerging as the leading contender for the 480,000 bpd West Qurna 2 field as U.S. sanctions appear to be squeezing Lukoil out of Iraq.

Dec 15, 2025

Iraqi exports dip on southern capacity squeeze

Increasing pipeline flows to Turkey were offset in November by ongoing reductions in Basra Gulf exports following a deadly oil depot fire.

Dec 10, 2025

Northern exports flow under promising but fragile oil and budget agreement

Baghdad, Erbil, and oil companies appear to be implementing some key terms of a three-way oil export and budget deal, but ongoing success is hardly assured.

Dec 2, 2025

Kurdistan refinery protests spark deadly violence

At least one person is dead and several injured after security forces cracked down on unemployed truck drivers demanding work at the Lanaz refinery near Erbil.

Nov 29, 2025

Khor Mor rocket strike underscores unresolved security problems

Most of Kurdistan's power generation is offline after yet another attack on a key gas field, highlighting the Iraqi government’s failure to enforce the rule of law on powerful militant groups.

Nov 19, 2025

Iraqi oil production continues edging higher in October

Nationwide crude output has risen steadily since May as the OPEC-plus group has relaxed quotas.

Nov 19, 2025

Rosneft partially divests from Kurdistan’s export pipeline

In an apparent attempt to avoid exposure to U.S. sanctions, the company that operates Kurdistan's export pipeline has reduced Rosneft to a 49 percent share.

Nov 11, 2025

U.S. sanctions on Lukoil threaten Iraq oil production drop

There is no backup plan for operating the 480,000 bpd West Qurna-2 field, with some Iraqi officials worrying production might need to be cut within weeks.

Nov 5, 2025

October exports jump as northern pipeline resumes

Exports via Turkey boosted Iraqi oil sales while a deadly oil depot fire had only limited impact on southern volumes.

Oct 30, 2025

September oil production edges higher

Iraq's nationwide output rises slightly as OPEC-plus continues loosening quotas.