Energy

New SOMO director named as Iraq reshuffles oil sector leadership

Ali Nazar al-Shatari will be Iraq's new head of oil marketing as the Sudani government makes changes across several top oil posts.

SOMO Deputy Director General and Head of Crude Ali Nazar al-Shatari (right), at the Nov. 30, 2016, OPEC meeting in Vienna with then-Iraqi Oil Minister Jabbar Ali al-Luiebi (center), and then-SOMO Director General Falah Alamri (left). (Source: OPEC Media Office)

Jun 26, 2019

Senior Oil Ministry officials suspended over fight

Internal disputes spilled into public view as Oil Minister Thamir Ghadhban took disciplinary action against one of his deputy ministers and his security chief.

Jun 26, 2019

Hawrami poised to keep KRG oil portfolio

The architect of Kurdistan’s oil autonomy, Ashti Hawrami appears likely to continue as minister during the government's leadership transition.

Jun 19, 2019

Rockets hit multiple Basra oil sites

Katyusha rocket attacks hit facilities housing international oil companies, including Exxon, which had recently ordered foreign staff to return to Basra.

Jun 17, 2019

Federal lawsuit targeting Kurdistan oil exports delayed again

Supreme Court gives the Iraqi PM seven weeks to sign updated pleading documents.

Jun 14, 2019

Iraq receives new U.S. waiver for Iran energy imports

Three days before the expiration of a prior waiver, the U.S. has decided to continue to refrain from punishing Iraq for essential gas and power imports.

Jun 14, 2019

Optimism swells over giant Eridu discovery

Lukoil has upgraded an assessment of its Block 10 exploration results – the latest success stemming from a 2012 contract auction that was initially seen as lackluster.

Jun 13, 2019

Q&A: Ihsan Ismaael, director general of Basra Oil Company

Iraq's largest state oil company is expanding production capacity and building new infrastructure as it waits out an OPEC quota.

Jun 11, 2019

Iraq hikes production in May

Despite an OPEC quota, output is rebounding at Basra fields and new capacity continues to come online.

Jun 5, 2019

Basra oil sites draw renewed protests

Small-scale demonstrations at three oil installations raise the specter of last summer's destabilizing protest movement.

Jun 3, 2019

Iraqi crude exports jump to near-record levels in May

The federal government and KRG both increased their oil sales, combining for the second-highest monthly export average that Iraq has ever posted.