Interviews

Q&A: Muntaser Kadhim Haloub, deputy director general of the South Refineries Company

Southern Iraq's refining sector is expanding, creating a better supply of high-quality fuels and rising demand for crude feedstock.

Muntaser Kadhim Haloub, deputy director general for technical affairs at the South Refineries Company, at his office in Basra in February 2026. (ALI AL-AQILY/Iraq Oil Report)

Jan 13, 2016

Q&A: Lukman Faily, Iraqi Ambassador to the U.S.

Iraq's envoy to Washington discusses the scope of destruction wrought by IS militants, the resources needed to respond, and what comes next in the war.

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.

Dec 9, 2015

Q&A: Oil Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi – Part 2

Iraq's oil minister discusses budget negotiations and the dispute with the KRG over oil fields, exports and revenues.

Dec 8, 2015

Q&A: Oil Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi – Part 1

Iraq's oil minister discusses increasing production despite a fiscal squeeze, measures to keep IOCs whole, the Basra Gas Company and Zubair projects, and more.

Dec 4, 2015

Q&A: SOMO’s Falah Alamri

The head of Iraq's oil marketing authority touts the market's embrace of the new Basra Heavy crude blend, which will account for most of the country's upcoming export growth.

Dec 4, 2015

Q&A: Kirkuk Gov. Najmaldin Karim

Positioned between Baghdad and the KRG, Karim explains how he is negotiating to squeeze badly needed resources from both sides.

Aug 9, 2015

Q&A: PKK spokesperson Zagros Hiwa

The PKK does not intend to make further attacks on the pipeline carrying oil from Iraq to Turkey's Ceyhan port, though other Turkish infrastructure remains in the crosshairs.

Jun 4, 2015

Q&A: Oil Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi

On the sidelines of OPEC meetings, Abd al-Mahdi discusses Iraq's record exports, oil company payments, the relationship with Kurdistan, and new projects on the horizon.

Jun 3, 2015

Q&A: Anbari tribal leaders

The fall of Ramadi was long in the making, and is only the latest symptom of long-standing dysfunction in the Iraqi government's strategy for Anbar province.

May 11, 2015

Q&A: Deputy Oil Minister Dhia Jaffar

The new refining chief says Karbala is on track, Missan is behind schedule, Nassiriya is open for offers, Kirkuk is ready for financing, and Basra can dip into petrodollars to build a new one.