In an excerpt from his new book, “Iraq and the Politics of Oil,” former U.S. oil official Gary Vogler narrates the high-stakes struggles over Iraq’s largest refinery.

Angolan firm re-starts 2010 contracts to develop fields south of Mosul, following four-year absence after Islamic State group's invasion.

Instead of seeking an IOC to replace Shell, the Oil Ministry is relying on Basra Oil Co. - and foreign service subcontractors - to develop Majnoon.

Crude flows are increasing from the federal North Oil Company in Kirkuk to KAR Group's refineries in Kurdistan, despite political obstacles arising from Baghdad-Erbil disputes.

Incremental gains from southern fields have helped Iraq partially recover from temporary production stoppages at Bai Hassan and Avana.

Iraq had attempted to pair the Nassiriya oil field and refinery projects to lure investors, but now the state-run DQOC will develop the field on its own, ending negotiations with a Chinese consortium.

A memorandum of understanding promises to re-start BP's reservoir studies, and could lead to a long-term development deal.