Pipelines Politics

Is Iraq’s foreign policy at the regional and international levels dictated by its position as an oil producer and exporter or is Iraq managing its resources in function of what its alliances and relationships allows it to do? Judging by the past, oil has mostly been a victim of the politics of the regime. This does not only apply to the last one, but goes back as far as the…

Tariq Shafiq

Tariq Shafiq is one of the founding fathers, former director, vice chairman and executive director of Iraq National Oil Company (INOC) founded in 1964. He was also a veteran of its predecessor, Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) where he served in various technical capacities since 1954, including as head of petroleum engineering. In this candid interview with IOF editor Ruba Husari, he gives his expert take on the different versions of…

Iraq Sets Up Reservoir Data Center as Studies Get Under Way

18 February 2005 Iraq’s oil ministry has launched its first reservoir study center, as it gears up to work with international companies BP, Exploration Consultants Ltd. (ECL) and Royal Dutch/Shell on landmark reviews of its key Rumaila and Kirkuk oil fields, according to an Iraqi oil official. The center, established by the ministry’s reservoirs and field development department, is the first in Iraq, and has already been equipped with workstations…