Change in operator could spur new activity at the oil field, which has been offline since 2023 after a steady production decline.
The consortium operating Kurdistan's most prolific gas field is negotiating a potentially paradigm-shifting deal to sell directly to Baghdad.
The northern export pipeline was offline for a seventh straight month, but Iraq has now compensated for about half the lost volumes with increased oil sales via southern outlets.
Bassim Taher Abid is tapped as the new acting director of the Petroleum Contracts and Licensing Directorate as the ministry gears up for two new licensing rounds.
In an effort to attract foreign investors to its upcoming licensing rounds, the Oil Ministry is adding more projects and better contractual terms.
Iraqi Army and Peshmerga forces clashed over a strategically important position near key energy assets.
With the northern pipeline still offline, Iraq is compensating with robust southern exports and expanding sales into Kurdistan's local market.
Political obstacles within Iraq are still preventing crude exports from restarting after a formal letter from BOTAS to SOMO confirmed the pipeline is ready.
Crude sales averaged above 3.4 million for the third straight month as Iraq maxes out southern export outlets.
Northern exports can only come online if Baghdad strikes new political and commercial agreements.
In a U.S. legal filing, Iraq contested Turkey's effort to flip the award in its own favor, as the two sides still appear deadlocked over a restart of Iraq’s northern exports.
