A power-sharing deal brokered after eight months of protracted negotiations among the winning parties in Iraq’s March legislative elections seems to have led to a situation where the country is led by two executive bodies: the cabinet and the National Council for Strategic Policies (NCSP). In the new era the two state institutions would have executive powers over oil and gas issues, from endorsing oil pipelines deals with neighboring countries,…
Author: Ruba Husari
IOF Editor
Rumaila Update
Basrah – Rumaila’s facelift is continuing despite a few hiccups that pushed production down to below the initial production rate (IPR) of 1.065 million barrels per day. That’s the rate at which Rumaila was producing under SOC last year until BP with CNPC signed a service contract to stop the decline and develop the field further to bring it up to 2.85 million b/d within 6 years. However, SOC officials…
Dhiya Jaafar
South Oil Co (SOC) Director General Dhiya Jaafar gives an update on the state of Iraqi oil production, infrastructure expansion and ongoing projects and problems in an interview with Ruba Husari Nov. 1st, 2010, in his office in Basrah. Q: How do you explain the continued decline in production at Rumaila oil field where BP was the first to sign a development contract, precisely to arrest the decline and increase…
Gas Fields Auction
After two delayed dates and three model contracts issued, one of which was withdrawn, Iraq has finally awarded its three gas fields of Akkas, Mansuriah and Siba to small oil companies pushing for a foot in Iraq’s energy sector. Having pre-qualified 13 companies, including France’s Total, Italy’s ENI and Norway’s Statoil, only five companies finally made it to Baghdad on Oct. 20th to participate in Iraq’s 3rd bid round in…