Iraqi Opposition Threatens to Annul Contracts

18 December 2002 Iraqi opposition exiles on Tuesday unveiled the results of a three-day confab in London, having agreed to set up a 65-member coordinating committee to follow up on principles and proposals agreed at the conference, and adopted in a main political statement and a document entitled the “transition period project.” The conference, attended by 350-plus delegates, focused on the roles of different groups and parties in a post-Saddam…

Post-Saddam Iraq Remains Mystery to Oil Companies in Waiting

23 October 2002 International oil companies interested in securing footing in a post-war Iraq have few clues on where to start. The Bush administration is forging ahead with war plans, but US State Dept. attempts to organize an energy working group for exiled Iraqi opposition members are in disarray as divisions among the opposition groups persist. “A number of oil companies have been querying about the possible political outcome of…

Iraq Aims to Hike Capacity by End-2003, Despite Sanctions

10 July 2002 Iraq is aiming to increase its sustainable oil production capacity to 3.5 million barrels per day by the end of 2003, without help from foreign oil companies and assuming that UN sanctions remain in force for the foreseeable future, Iraqi oil ministry sources say. Iraqi Oil Minister Amer Rashid recently put current sustainable production capacity at 3.2 million-3.3 million b/d, although other estimates are lower. Under a…

Solo Efforts

4 July 2002 Iraq is developing its oil fields with or without foreign help — including the giant fields promised to companies such as France’s Total Fina Elf and Russia’s Lukoil. But the firms are always welcome to hop on board, Iraqi Oil Minister Amer Rashid says. Under a “national effort” launched in 1999, Iraq brought the giant southern Majnoon oil field on stream last year, Rashid says. The field…