International oil companies who attended Iraq’s 2nd bid round roadshow in Istanbul Tuesday were unfazed by the growing tension in Baghdad ahead of the January legislative elections. The 42 companies who attended – out of 45 who have been prequalified to participate in the bid round – will compete for 10 contract areas, four of which include the giant fields of Majnoon, West Qurna-2, East Baghdad and Halfaya. The short…
Month: August 2009
Abdul Karim Al-Luaybi
Senior Deputy Oil Minister for upstream Abdul Karim al-Luaybi speaks to Ruba Husari, editor of Iraq Oil Forum in Baghdad Aug.18. Q: How are your upstream plans progressing following the first bid round in June and as you prepare to practically launch the second bid round in Istanbul Aug.25? A: We are going ahead with parallel plans. Plans under the national effort on one hand are being executed in cooperation…
IDC’s Grand Plans
Iraq Drilling Co (IDC) is forging ahead with building its own drilling capacity while waiting for the oil ministry to pick one of its many suitors to establish a new joint venture after the first attempt with Mesopotamia Petroleum faltered last month. “Two years ago no company would come and work in Iraq so we had to go with Mesopotamia even though it had no track record. Today, many reputable…
Wither INOC?
There is no chance that INOC draft law would be voted by parliament before the draft oil and gas law is legislated, according to Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani. Why? Because there is close linkage between the two laws as well as two other laws pending legislation; the oil ministry restructuring law and the revenue sharing law, “without which the state company would be paralyzed.” And that’s not all. There is…