Baghdad is expanding its campaign to invalidate Kurdistan's oil contracts, filing new cases against the Russian and Emirati companies.
Iraq's crude sales receded in July as seasonal demand spikes fueled domestic consumption and quality issues hurt the marketing of Basra Heavy.
In the increasingly chaotic struggle to form a new government, Iraq's oil sector has been both a political battleground and a victim of dysfunctional governance.
Oil Ministry lawsuits against three IOCs operating in Kurdistan remain undecided as a KRG lawyer asks to join the proceedings as a third party.
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.
