Energy

Iraqi wartime production cuts reach 3.6 million bpd

Iraq is navigating acute logistical and infrastructure challenges to maximize refinery consumption and exports while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

Workers from the state-run Iraqi Drilling Company (IDC) work on a well at the West Qurna 1 field in Basra in March 2026. (Photo credit: IDC)

Mar 30, 2020

Mandatory retirement further strains Oil Ministry capacity

Senior Deputy Oil Minister Fayadh Nema is retiring – the latest top ministry official to leave his post after a new law reduced the mandatory retirement age.

Mar 30, 2020

New pipeline streamlines KRG-Iran fuel trade

A newly built cross-border pipeline is expected to begin pumping imminently, allowing Iraqi Kurdistan to continue Iranian fuel imports while reducing truck traffic and coronavirus risks.

Mar 26, 2020

U.S. tightens window on Iraq’s new sanctions waiver

Iraq's latest Iran sanctions waiver is the shortest yet – 30 days – reflecting an ongoing strain in relations between Baghdad and Washington.

Mar 25, 2020

Iraq limits production despite Saudi ramp-up

The Oil Ministry has continued to throttle back production at state-run fields with spare capacity, even as Saudi Arabia and Russia prepare to open the taps for a price war.

Mar 17, 2020

UPDATE: Gharraf field offline after coronavirus evacuation

Petronas withdraws all foreign staff due to COVID-19; Iraq can replace the lost production with spare capacity at other fields.

Mar 15, 2020

KRG issues new anti-coronavirus orders to oil firms

Regulations for oil and gas companies in Kurdistan reinforce standing WHO recommendations.

Mar 4, 2020

Iraq’s oil sector takes new steps in coronavirus response

The Oil Ministry is determined to avoid any impact on production, but the oil sector is being disrupted by both reduced global demand and preventative health measures.

Mar 2, 2020

Iraq oil export rebound undercut by depleting oil price

The country faced the worst monthly average oil price in more than two years, overshadowing increased output by both federal and Kurdistan oil sectors.

Feb 25, 2020

January production rises, but OPEC constraints loom

Crude output remains well below capacity as the Oil Ministry continues to curtail state-operated fields.

Feb 20, 2020

Likely next NOC chief versed in northern Iraq complexities

Bashir Murad oversaw fields in the far reaches of northwest Iraq while developing high-level credentials with Baghdad.