11 September 2008 Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani has named Ali Muarij, a petroleum engineer from southern Iraq, director-general of Missan Oil Co. (MOC), the first regional operating company to be set up since Iraq National Oil Co. was dismantled in 1987, Iraqi sources told International Oil Daily from Baghdad Wednesday. The cabinet in June approved the creation of MOC to operate all oil fields in Missan province in southern…
Tag: BHP Billiton
Iraq: Shell’s Entry Plan
2 May 2008 Royal Dutch Shell has never been shy when considering Iraq’s huge potential. Even when the country was under UN sanctions, company officials quietly traveled to and from Baghdad, fostering relations with oil ministry officials. Since the US-led invasion of 2003, it has pursued opportunities more aggressively, with a three-pronged strategy targeting the upstream in the north and south, and the gas sector. Now, Shell is seeking to…
Iraq’s Emerging Alliances
24 August 2007 When Iraq eventually opens again for upstream business, the new rule in town will be competitive bidding — as opposed to former one-on-one negotiations. In effect, this will throw the game open to all for giant fields previously negotiated by international firms, such as West Qurna, Majnoon and Nahr bin Umar. Alliances have already emerged between some companies — including Russian Lukoil and US ConocoPhillips, Chevron with…