Iraq: More Momentum

26 September 2008 Judging by the way preparations are going at the oil ministry in Baghdad, Iraq’s second postwar bid round promises to be even more controversial than the first. When launched in late June with six producing oil fields and two gas fields, the first offering was slammed by some as selling off the country’s crown jewels. According to plans now being drawn up, Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani…

Iraq Finalizes Fields to Be Offered in Bid Round Next Week

26 December 2008 Iraq’s oil ministry decided Wednesday to launch its second postwar bid round for oil and gas field development with 14 oil fields and two gas fields spread over Iraq’s regions, ministry sources said Wednesday. The official announcement will be made by Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani in Baghdad on Dec. 31. Opinions in the ministry are divided over whether Iraq should launch a new bidding round before…

Iraq to Set Up Second Regional Oil Firm

18 July 2008 Iraq plans to push ahead with development of oil fields in the Nassiriyah area of southern Iraq in the next few years in order to achieve the 100,000 barrels per day of production set as the benchmark for establishing a regional oil company, Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani says. The company would be similar to the one recently announced for Missan, also in the south. “We are speeding…

Iraq Punishes Oil Firms With KRG Deals

16 January 2008 Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani has followed up on threats to punish companies that sign deals with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) by canceling the memoranda of understanding (MOU) some had inked with his ministry, a ministry source told International Oil Daily from Baghdad Tuesday. This is the first concrete step toward depriving them of any future deals with Baghdad. Al-Shahristani had persistently told companies that Baghdad…