Bid Round Four Results

Block 1 Bidders & Bids: None Ministry’s maximum acceptable Remuneration fee: –  Location: The block lies within the northwestern part of Iraq, about 100 km west of Mosul by the Syria-Iraq border and covers an area of around 7,300 km2. Geology: Located in Rutba-Jezira tectonic zone, large structures remain undrilled. Two wells have been drilled in the north and the south of the block. Oil was tested from the Miocene and…

Unitization Dilemma

As Iraq and Kuwait forge ahead with their political rapprochement and the demarcation of their international boundaries, a major milestone will be achieved once an agreement is reached on the joint oil fields that straddle the border between the two states. That’s where Iraq needs all its resources to settle the issue in a manner that preserves its sovereignty and safeguards its interests in a way that does not lead…

Refining for Politics

Iraq’s failure to attract investments for its four refineries offered to private investors after more than two years since their launch should invite a rethink of the investment model. Luckily this rethink has started and Iraq’s oil ministry is now on course to change the business model from a BOT (build-own-operate) to one that is based on a fixed fee per barrel. This is a welcome change for the potential…