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Politics

Northern exports stalled by Baghdad-Erbil disputes

With southern oil exports choked off by war, Baghdad cannot use its only backup pipeline route because of a fight with the KRG over customs revenue control.
Oil tanks at Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, which is run by state-owned Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS). (UMIT BEKTAS/Reuters)
Dec 18, 2007

No deals yet in Baghdad oil meetings with Iraqi Kurds … Turkey invades Iraq … Kirkuk, a oil-rich hot spot, settled for six months … LGBTQ in Iraq … Dollars and Bullets …

Get Iraq Oil Report updates in your email box. CLICK HERE. No agreements have been reached yet in ongoing meetings between top ministers of the Iraqi national and Kurdistan regional governments, the top spokesman for the Iraqi government told United Press International. "We stand on the same situation that all the oil contracts need to […]

Dec 10, 2007

Barzani heads to Baghdad … Attacks on Iraq’s oil sector continue over weekend, Monday …

The prime minister of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, will be in Baghdad this week to discuss a range of oil-related issues, Reuters reports. It’s bound to be a not-too-pleasant discussion as Baghdad leadership is in its most aligned state ever against the Kurdistan Regional Government’s unilateral moves in the oil sector. (Of course, Iraq Oil […]

Dec 4, 2007

Iraqi Kurd oil minister and U.S. energy secretary met in Washington

The U.S. energy secretary "encouraged" the visiting Iraqi Kurdish region's oil minister to work with Shiite and Sunni Iraqis on a national oil law. The Kurdistan Regional Government's oil minister and the deputy prime minister also met with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and other political and business officials during their two-week visit to Washington. […]

Dec 3, 2007

Back to Baghdad: KRG to answer oil deal questions in front of Parliament

This week appears to be a buzz in Baghdad with KRG passing up meetings with oil officials in Texas to be there. The oil minister of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government cut short his U.S. visit to head to Baghdad, where Parliament this week is to question him on the 20 oil deals the KRG has […]

Nov 30, 2007

Leader of Iraq oil workers says Iraqis can increase production, with limited help from outsider if need be, but Baghdad refuses to spend the capital …

The leader of Iraq's oil workers, attending an anti-war conference here, says Iraq could be producing more oil by investing its own money, without an oil law or large scale foreign oil company involvement. "National expertise and resources are capable of enhancing production in the oil industry," Hassan Jumaa Awad, president of the umbrella Iraqi […]

Nov 27, 2007

Showdown: Baghdad vs. Irbil … Iraqi Kurds’ Oil Prerogatives … and more ….

*The Kurdish oil minister speaks his mind. *Shahristani: Kurds used military to prevent oil development by Baghdad *Kurds self sufficient and producing 1 million barrels in five years Iraqi Kurdistan's oil minister, Ashti Hawrami, begins his U.S. tour of political and business leaders from Washington to Texas a hot item with international oil companies, but […]

Nov 26, 2007

Oil makes the politics go round … Iraq’s political situation further fracturing … Bush and Maliki, best friends forever …

Iraq Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani has gone beyond simply calling the Kurdistan Regional Government’s oil deals "illegal." He has now reportedly "nullified" the dozens of contracts with international oil companies, AFP reports. Of course, political logistics are another matter. There’s only so much the Kurds need to take, considering without them the coalition government Shahristani […]