As Iraq and Kuwait forge ahead with their political rapprochement and the demarcation of their international boundaries, a major milestone will be achieved once an agreement is reached on the joint oil fields that straddle the border between the two states. That’s where Iraq needs all its resources to settle the issue in a manner that preserves its sovereignty and safeguards its interests in a way that does not lead…
Year: 2012
What Prospects for Iraq’s Oil?
If oil and politics are closely intertwined, this is certainly exemplified by the era of Middle East concession acquisition exploration and development, and more so in Iraq than anywhere else. The concession agreements were negotiated between the powers of the day, and enforced on the embryonic governments of the time. Production plans and policies were based on the consuming powers’ needs, with little consideration given to the concessionaires The concession era…
Refining for Politics
Iraq’s failure to attract investments for its four refineries offered to private investors after more than two years since their launch should invite a rethink of the investment model. Luckily this rethink has started and Iraq’s oil ministry is now on course to change the business model from a BOT (build-own-operate) to one that is based on a fixed fee per barrel. This is a welcome change for the potential…