Iraq: New Models

14 March 2008 After struggling for five years to restore crude oil production to prewar levels, Baghdad is taking a pragmatic look at ways to involve international oil companies in developing its resources, sidestepping an internal debate over whether production sharing agreements (PSA) — the model preferred by Big Oil — are suited to Iraq. While discussions are ongoing with international oil companies, and between the Iraqi oil ministry and…

Iraq Courts Four Majors for Technical Deals

6 December 2007 Four majors met with Iraqi oil ministry officials in Amman last week to initiate talks on the first commercial technical support contracts to be awarded since the US-led invasion over four years ago, Iraqi and industry sources told International Oil Daily Wednesday. The ministry is aiming to raise output by 500,000 barrels per day over the next two years. The talks with BP, Chevron, Exxon Mobil and…

Iraq: Splits Dog Oil Law

9 March 2007 Having waited so long for a law offering the framework necessary to regularize and legitimize future investments in Iraq’s vast oil resources, international firms itching to get their hands on the biggest Mideast opportunity in decades now find consensus — perhaps the most important ingredient of all — lacking. Iraqis are divided over the legitimacy of signing contracts while the country is wracked by chaos, and some…

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…