Energy

Iraq begins nationwide production shutdowns

With exports halted by war, Iraq has limited options to keep fields operating and has begun taking millions of barrels of daily production offline.

Oil Minister Hayyan Abdulghani (center) meets with his deputies to plan for production cuts in anticipation of a shutdown in southern oil exports on March 2, 2026. (Photo credit: Oil Ministry)

Sep 22, 2022

Iraq’s highest court strikes down INOC

The Federal Supreme Court appeared to end Oil Minister Ihsan Ismaael's fledgling efforts to create an Iraqi National Oil Company, ruling its legal foundations "invalid."

Sep 20, 2022

Court again delays case against Kurdistan IOCs

Gazprom Neft sends lawyer to court, bucking trend of companies ignoring Oil Ministry lawsuits seeking to invalidate KRG oil contracts.

Sep 19, 2022

Weatherford pledges to obey Baghdad’s blacklist and exit Kurdistan

The U.S. company joins a growing list of blue-chip oil services firms bowing to the Oil Ministry's pressure campaign against the KRG energy sector.

Sep 16, 2022

UPDATE: Partial restart at major export terminal as details of damage emerge

Iraq’s Al-Basra Oil Terminal has restarted at reduced capacity after it went offline early Friday due to leaks.

Sep 14, 2022

August production edges higher

Nationwide production topped 4.7 million bpd for the second straight month — the highest output since 2019.

Sep 12, 2022

IOCs double down on Kurdistan despite legal threats

Foreign companies are putting more money into Kurdistan oil fields — and projecting increased production — despite Baghdad's legal campaign against the KRG oil sector.

Sep 8, 2022

Iraq’s oil exports decline as northern sales slump

Exports fell for the second straight month despite elevated OPEC-plus output targets.

Aug 30, 2022

UPDATE: Civil unrest raises risks for oil sector

As political crisis and escalating violence threaten the stability of the state, followers of Sadr have also started protests at some oil fields.

Aug 25, 2022

Iraq pursues solar power goals, but hurdles remain

Solar could give a game-changing boost to Iraq's electricity supply and budget, but outdated policy, rigid bureaucracy, and political dysfunction stand in the way.

Aug 25, 2022

UPDATE: Baghdad issues new legal threats to block Kurdistan exports

Letter from Iraq's oil marketing company warns of "firm legal action" against participants in the KRG's independent oil trade.