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)

Dec 11, 2018

Q&A: Hayan Abdulghani, Director General of the South Gas Company

Southern Iraq's top gas official discusses initiatives to end flaring, increase electricity to Basrawi citizens, and wean Iraq from Iranian gas imports.

Dec 7, 2018

Homemade bombs, shootings at southern Iraq oil fields

Local disputes following field protests raise tension in Iraq's key oil provinces.

Dec 3, 2018

November exports decline as global prices drop

Iraq's revenues fell steeply, as the mid-month resumption of Kirkuk oil sales via Turkey was not enough to offset southern export disruptions and sinking oil prices.

Nov 28, 2018

Iraqi power supply plunges with Iran gas pipeline outage

A major artery supplying Iraq with electricity feedstock went offline Tuesday, highlighting the country's energy dependence on Iran.

Nov 16, 2018

Kirkuk exports resume in political test run

Federal Iraq crude flow through Kurdistan's export pipeline to Ceyhan has started again, in a bid to appease Washington and increase revenues.

Nov 14, 2018

Oil minister wants new INOC law

A major initiative to restructure Iraq's oil sector appears to be on hold as the new Cabinet prepares to re-draft the legal foundation of the Iraq National Oil Company.

Nov 14, 2018

Baghdad-KRG oil case delayed yet again

Dissatisfied with the work of three technical experts tasked with providing analysis, the Supreme Court postpones the six-year-old lawsuit until Dec. 9.

Nov 8, 2018

Kirkuk fields bolster Iraq’s production gains

Iraqi crude output continued a steady rise in October, although bad weather put a damper on exports and highlighted infrastructure constraints.

Nov 7, 2018

Pipeline and payments fuel Kurdistan’s oil sector revival

Kurdistan's oil sales are steadily growing; a Rosneft-funded oil pipeline has finally reached the 1 million bpd benchmark; and oil companies are getting paid.

Nov 1, 2018

Iraq proposes major spending hike under 2019 draft budget

In a dramatic shift away from recent austerity policies, Iraq's Cabinet has proposed a 27 percent increase in spending with a $111 billion draft budget.