Follow the money

Oil exports from Iraqi Kurdistan have been launched, but with no confirmation that the IOC payment issue has been settled between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Iraq's central government, questions remain on whether dealmakers have gone over the Iraqi Oil Minister's head, or whether this will cause problems in a few weeks' time.

Small volumes of oil have started flowing from the DNO-operated Tawke field in Iraqi Kurdistan, and through the northern Iraqi export pipeline between Kirkuk and Ceyhan on the Turkish Mediterranean coast, with more expected soon as production is ramped up and the Taq-Taq field is connected.