Lawsuit imperils formation of Iraq National Oil Company

A coalition of Iraqi oil technocrats has filed a legal challenge against a law to re-establish the Iraq National Oil Company (INOC), which is likely to delay - if not derail - a major restructuring of the country's oil sector.

Under the law, which took effect in April, the government has a six-month window to set up the new state company, which is supposed to take over many of the Oil Ministry's most important powers in managing Iraq's oil and gas resources.