Following Iraq's elections, leaders are gearing up for the process of coalition-building that will reshape the political landscape, including key energy posts and oil policy.

The upstart Gorran party is likely to take control of key posts, upending the old political order and marking a new era of intra-Kurdish volatility.

If Turkey allows Kurdistan to export oil without Baghdad's permission, it would likely break a treaty with Iraq, adding a huge layer of legal risk to KRG oil sales.

Key oil revenue disputes are too much to overcome now that campaigning for April 30 national elections has begun.

Due to pipeline sabotage, and amidst an enduring political impasse, the KRG has postponed its plans to begin exporting through federal channels.