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Iraqi oil shutdowns loom as U.S. attacks Iran

Some production is already offline and Iraqi oil officials are bracing for a total loss of southern exports.
A worker from Iraq's state-run Oil Pipelines Company repairs part of a pipeline in Babel province carrying oil products from the Shuaiba refinery in Basra, in February 2026. (Photo credit: Oil Pipelines Company)
Mar 26, 2008

Fighting in Iraq’s oil capital Basra isn’t the first bloodshed between varying political and armed groups but may be the decisive battle for control over the oil sector, local government and the fate of the province.

The violence that has killed dozens and injured hundreds since Tuesday is billed as Iraq's military against "criminals, terrorist forces and outlaws," in the words of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki who this week launched an Iraqi Security Forces offensive into Basra, Ben Lando reports for United Press International. But political parties and their militias […]

Mar 21, 2008

Basra the battleground for Iraq army effort…

Iraq's Army will target militias in Iraq's oil capital Basra in a last ditch effort to route the growing violence before provincial elections which may take place this fall, Kim Sengupta reports for The Independent. This poses a huge dilemma for citizens and the country. Who exactly of the dozens of militias will the Army […]

Feb 11, 2008

Iraq’s Constitution needs fixing before the oil law can be moved, top MP says…

Plus: *Russia and Iraq -- quid pro quo on oil for debt *Attacks on Iraq's energy sector shut down power grid, bomb found on Electricity Ministry's doorstep *State Dept. critiqued by its own for lax dealings with Iraq government *Iraqi Kurds in U.S. push for investment beyond oil *Oil for refugees *Much more... Political disputes […]

Feb 4, 2008

Dispute arises over accusation Iran is stealing Iraq oil from field, involved in smuggling …

Plus: *Oil Majors get special crude instead of cash deal for upcoming oil deals *Iraq-Jordan oil import deal solidifies *Smugglers near Baiji set pipeline ablaze *Oil union leader keys British anti-war tour *Iraq sends delegation to Qatar for gas cooperation *Italy’s Edison, Shell want into Iraq gas too *Turkish op-ed denies cutting N. Iraq’s electricity […]

Jan 31, 2008

What is the US’s Energy Fusion Cell, and where have they been all this war?…

There's optimism in Iraq, at least from a mysterious cadre called the Energy Fusion Cell, which for the past eight months worked to bring coherence to both U.S. and Iraqi initiatives in the oil, gas and power sectors -- the backbone of its citizens' quality of life and the bulk of the national budget. It's […]

Dec 28, 2007

Iraq oil up end-’07, sketchy ‘08 … Update on South Korea backlash

Iraq's oil sector ends 2007 on a relatively upbeat note, with production at levels not seen since before the war. But the year had more downs than ups, and sustaining success through next year is far from guaranteed. Iraq averaged production of 2.4 million barrels per day in November, according to the global energy information […]

Dec 17, 2007

New security for Iraq’s most important city … Kirkuk vote delayed … New oil tankers, Syria pipeline … 5M Iraq orphans …

Basra’s Changing Hands Iraq’s oil capital, Basra, is now officially under control of Iraqi forces. The British have "controlled" the area since 2003. Control is relative, however, since under British occupation Iraq’s main rivalries have been allowed to foster competing militia violence and, along with other armed groups and gangs, turn the oil and fuels […]