Interviews

Q&A: Bassim Mohammed Khudair, Deputy Oil Minister for Upstream

Iraq's top upstream oil official confirms that production, curtailed by war, is ready to surge back online — but only once ships can reliably resume Basra Gulf export loadings.

Deputy Oil Minister Bassim Mohammed Khudair (center) and Basra Oil Company Director General Bassim Abdul Karim (right) tour part of the Ratawi project led by TotalEnergies in February 2026. (Photo credit: Oil Ministry)

Feb 26, 2020

Q&A: Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Allawi

The person tapped to lead Iraq's next government digs into the energy sector details of the plan he submitted to Parliament, ahead of a vote on his Cabinet.

Nov 25, 2019

Q&A: Thamir Ghadhban, Deputy Prime Minister for Energy and Minister of Oil

In the midst of an unpredictable protest movement, Iraq's oil sector has avoided output disruptions and plans are on track for developing new production and export capacity.

Nov 8, 2019

Q&A: Mohammed Shukri, chairman of the KRG Board of Investment

Iraqi Kurdistan's chief investment official talks about streamlining the bureaucracy and bringing new focus on industry and agriculture.

Oct 10, 2019

Q&A: Zuhair Mouhsin al-Araji, mayor of Mosul

Iraq's second-largest city is rebuilding, neighborhood by neighborhood, despite an uncertain trickle of government funding and fluctuations in political leadership.

Oct 10, 2019

Q&A: Mansour Mareed Attia, governor of Ninewa province

Five months into his tenure, the new governor discusses the status of Mosul reconstruction, security, and energy sector investment.

Oct 1, 2019

Q&A: Najim Abdullah, director of the Zubair oil field commission

Iraq's number two oil field is planning to raise output by more than 200,000 bpd in the next three years — if it a can secure new supplies of water.

Jun 28, 2019

Q&A: Thamir Ghadhban, Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister for Energy and Minister of Oil

As Iraq pursues energy independence, the country's oil chief is streamlining the bureaucracy, crafting new investment incentives, and preparing to award mega-projects.

Jun 13, 2019

Q&A: Ihsan Ismaael, director general of Basra Oil Company

Iraq's largest state oil company is expanding production capacity and building new infrastructure as it waits out an OPEC quota.

Jun 4, 2019

Q&A: Zuhair al-Araji, mayor of Mosul

To recover from a devastating war, Iraq’s second-largest city needs a massive mobilization of resources and coherent planning and organization – but it’s getting neither.

May 16, 2019

Q&A: Shwan Aziz Saleh, Director General of Al-Barham Group

The 50,000 bpd Kirkuk refinery is set to produce more quantities of higher-quality gasoline and naphtha, thereby reducing the fuel oil that is exported.