Mana’a Al-Obeidi

In an interview in his office in Kirkuk (North Iraq) late August, Manaa al-Obeidi, director general of North Oil Co (NOC) talks to Ruba Husari, editor of Iraq Oil Forum, about the state of the northern oil fields and NOC plans: Q: What is the state of the producing fields in northern Iraq? A: We have witnessed a relative increase in output from producing fields in the last 18 months….

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…

Iraq’s Oil Ministry and KRG Hold Talks on Oil Export Schemes

14 October 2008 Iraq’s oil ministry and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have held talks in recent weeks that could pave the way to export oil produced in the northern region by international oil companies. They could also possibly open the way for an agreement between the federal government and the KRG on the contested production sharing contracts awarded by the KRG in recent years, Iraqi sources said In the…

Shell Inks Iraqi Gas Deal in Baghdad

23  September 2008 Royal Dutch Shell and Iraq on Monday inked a heads of agreement (HOA) to establish a joint venture to gather, process and market associated natural gas from southern Iraq, and plan to sign a definitive multibillion-dollar deal within a year, Iraqi and industry sources said. Officials from Shell’s gas and power division, headed by Executive Director Linda Cook, traveled to Baghdad on Monday for the signing ceremony,…