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)

Mar 14, 2018

Q&A: SOMO Director General Alaa al-Yassiri

Iraq's oil exports chief discusses Baghdad-Ankara-KRG oil negotiations, a new oil trading joint venture, and the possibility of a third grade of Basra crude.

Mar 13, 2018

Kirkuk fields begin to re-start

NOC is taking initial steps to bring some production at Bai Hassan and Avana Dome back online, increasing crude flows to refineries in Kurdistan.

Mar 13, 2018

ZhenHua expands China’s role in Iraq’s oil sector

The Chinese state-owned company is looking to form an oil trading joint venture with SOMO and develop the East Baghdad oil field.

Mar 7, 2018

Q&A: Ibrahim Bahralolom, MP and former oil minister

Following the passage of seminal legislation to resurrect the Iraq National Oil Company, one of the principal authors discusses how it will reshape the country's oil sector.

Mar 5, 2018

Parliament re-establishes Iraq National Oil Company

New legislation could restructure the oil sector, creating a new executive body for field management and limiting the Oil Ministry to strategic policy and regulatory functions.

Mar 4, 2018

2018 budget passes despite Kurdish boycott

Iraq's new $88 billion budget reflects a widening political divide between Baghdad and the Kurdistan region.

Mar 1, 2018

February exports climb, despite hurdles

Southern Iraq oil sales slightly decreased compared to January, but Kurdistan exports from storage pushed nationwide monthly averages up.

Mar 1, 2018

Kirkuk oil still hostage to political stalemates

Kurdistan's export pipeline to Turkey is the key to unlocking stranded Kirkuk production, but Baghdad, Erbil, and Ankara cannot agree on terms.

Mar 1, 2018

Zubair field set to kick off year-on-year growth

New infrastructure is nearly complete, with more to come, and the Eni-operated field will start adding 100,000 bpd this and next year.

Feb 22, 2018

January production steady

Rising production from state-operated projects helped compensate for temporary disruptions at the West Qurna 1 field.