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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)
Jun 15, 2012

Q&A: Hussain al-Shahristani

The deputy prime minister for energy discusses energy relations with Turkey and Iran, the deadlock with the KRG, and the reasons that IOCs shied away from the fourth bidding round.

Jun 14, 2012

Q&A: Ninewa Gov. Atheel Nujaifi

The powerful Mosul leader wants to move past the days of al-Qaida, and is demanding help from Baghdad, Kurdistan, Turkey and Exxon to get there.

May 10, 2012

Q&A: Ashti Hawrami Part 3

Kurdistan's top oil official makes the case for his region's right to export oil independently.

May 8, 2012

Q&A: Ashti Hawrami Part 2

The head of KRG oil policy details his interpretation of the Constitution and how it applies to his oil deals, the oil deals of Baghdad, and the delayed oil law.

May 4, 2012

Q&A: Ashti Hawrami

Kurdistan's Minister of Natural Resources explains the history of the semi-autonomous region's export deal with Baghdad, why it all fell apart, and what it will take to re-start.

Feb 15, 2012

Q&A: South Oil Co. chief Dhia Jaffar

The head of one of the largest oil producing companies in the world discusses plans to boost capacity, even as IOCs consider leaving.