Weatherford and three other companies with subcontracts in Kurdistan are barred from work in southern Iraq, as Baghdad continues campaign to reverse KRG oil sector independence.
The 140,000 bpd ultra-modern Karbala refinery, federal Iraq's first large greenfield build in decades, is in the final stages of pre-commissioning now and is set for an October startup.
Production and exports are rising as OPEC-plus quotas continue to loosen and high global oil prices bring record revenues.
Projects nearing completion this year could boost refining capacity by 140,000 bpd, despite chronic failures to attract foreign capital.
Iraq's state company for drilling has idle rigs ready for more upstream development.
New amendments give the KRG's ruling party control of the energy sector's main policymaking body, which had been dormant for more than two years.
Days after declaring four of Kurdistan's oil contracts to be invalid, Baghdad court schedules a hearing on three others for July 17.
Secretive ruling marks escalation in Oil Ministry campaign to end Kurdistan's oil sector independence.
The Oil Ministry’s lawsuit against seven oil companies operating in Kurdistan gained momentum as a Baghdad judge moves toward reviewing contracts.
Three major U.S. oil services companies have now told the Oil Ministry they will comply with new restrictions stemming from February's landmark court ruling against Kurdistan.
