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, 2023

Q&A: Ammar al-Anbagi, director general of SOMO

Iraq's oil marketing chief discusses Russia-related oil market dynamics, the restart of Qayarah crude exports, and recent steps to activate the TotalEnergies mega-deal.

May 30, 2023

Q&A: Engineer Farhan Muhssin al-Fartousi, head of the General Company for Ports of Iraq

The director general of Iraq's state-run ports company discusses ongoing expansions and the resumption of Qayarah crude exports from Khor al-Zubair.

May 23, 2023

Q&A: Bassim Abdul Karim, director general of Basra Oil Company

Southern Iraq's top oil leader discusses efforts to activate a deal with TotalEnergies, expand production capacity, and overcome export infrastructure bottlenecks.

May 13, 2023

Ali Qayas Abdul-Jabber, director general of the Iraqi Oil Tankers Company, at his office in May 2023. (ALI AL-AQILY/Iraq Oil Report)

Q&A: Ali Qayas Abdul-Jabber, director general of the Iraqi Oil Tankers Company

Iraq’s state-run tanker company is expanding its fleet and preparing to start handling some of the country’s crude exports.

Mar 24, 2023

Q&A: Hamza Abdul-Baqi, director general of South Gas Company

The head of southern Iraq's gas sector discusses the expansion of BGC, associated gas processing at Nahr Bin Omar, and the Ratawi gas hub.

Feb 16, 2023

Q&A: Jawad Bolani, member of the Parliament Security and Defense Committee

Iraq's former interior minister discusses the structure of the country's military and top security issues facing the new government.

Feb 14, 2023

Q&A: Habib Abdul-Ameer Aoda, Deputy Manager of the FCC Project at Shuaiba Refinery

A long-delayed upgrade of Iraq's largest refinery is now moving forward, promising to boost high-octane fuel production and reduce dependence on imports.

Jan 9, 2023

Q&A: Uday Awad, member of the Parliament Oil and Gas Committee

An MP from Basra and influential member of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Awad outlined his position on foreign oil companies in Iraq and Iran's role in the oil sector.

Dec 1, 2022

Q&A: Assad Muhair Karim, director general for southern electricity transmission

Iraq is racing to upgrade transmission infrastructure and improve electricity service in the south in time for next summer.

Dec 1, 2022

Q&A: Bafel Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan

The PUK leader discusses deteriorating political rivalries within Kurdistan and their impact on both gas development and impending negotiations with Baghdad over oil rights.