Energy

Oil Ministry slashes upstream spending for 2026

Urgent austerity plan aims to cut $1.4 billion from oil field budgets nationwide in 2026 without affecting production — a warning sign of fiscal trouble for Iraq.

Oil Minister Hayyan Abdulghani (center left) and Deputy Oil Minister for Upstream Bassim Mohammed Khdair (center right) meet with Zaid Elyaseri (far left), the president of BP Iraq, in Baghdad on Jan. 26, 2026, to discuss the company's upstream plans and project expenses. (Photo credit: Oil Ministry)

Feb 2, 2016

Iraq exports rebound but oil price does not

Iraq starts 2016 with its second-highest monthly export tally ever, but revenues drop along with the price of oil.

Jan 30, 2016

Mosul dam flows, returning power to IS held city below

Iraqi authorities are releasing pressure on the fragile Mosul Dam to avoid a catastrophic flood, but in so doing are again providing power to the Islamic State’s capital in Iraq.

Jan 26, 2016

Protesters halt oil tankers in Erbil

Demonstration over chewed up roads disrupts oil traffic in a rare show of protest near Kurdistan's capital.

Jan 21, 2016

Negotiations ease threat to Kurdistan gas pipeline

After political mediation, a local leader in Chemchemal has eased off threats to cut the KRG's main gas pipeline, but tensions remain high.

Jan 21, 2016

Local leader threatens key Kurdistan gas pipeline

A political leader in Chemchemal has partially excavated the pipeline transporting the majority of Kurdistan's power plant feedstock.

Jan 11, 2016

South gas chief retires

Ali Khudair, the head of South Gas Company and chairman of Basra Gas Company, had planned to serve past the official retirement age, but now he is stepping down.

Jan 6, 2016

Ibrahim Khalil crossing to Turkey reopens

Commercial traffic to and from Iraq’s main border crossing with Turkey has restarted, after nearly a month of disruptions affected fuel and power supplies in Kurdistan.

Jan 5, 2016

Record oil exports, but half the money

Iraq ended 2015 with its best two-month stretch of export volumes ever, but revenue is dropping along with the price of oil.

Dec 28, 2015

Armed with intel, U.S. strikes curtail IS oil sector

It once made over $1 million per day in Iraq alone, but now the IS oil sector, which lured hundreds of foreign workers, is struggling to meet its internal demand.

Dec 16, 2015

Q&A: South Gas Company chief Ali Khudair

The head of Iraq’s anti-flaring efforts discusses progress – and delays – on the long road to capitalizing on the country's natural gas wealth.