Thamir Al-Ghadban

Former Oil Minister and Chief Advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister Thamir al-Ghadban talks to Ruba Husari in London April 29, 2009 Q: What are the chances that the first bid round concludes according to schedule this summer? A: Based on what has been done so far starting from the announcement of the first licensing round last year and all the steps that followed, including the road-show in London, the…

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 Send Out Bid Round Packages This Week

28 October 2008 The Iraqi oil ministry is gearing up to send out the initial tender protocol and data packages for the eight oil and gas fields included in its landmark first bid round by the end of this week, and expects international oil companies to pay participation fees for the fields on which they choose to bid by Dec. 31, ministry sources say. Despite the accelerated process, questions persist…