TotalEnergies completes Kurdistan exit with Sarsang sale
TotalEnergies has completed the sale of an 18% stake in the Sarsang field to ShaMaran, completing its exit from the Iraqi region of Kurdistan.
Iraq
OPEC+ cuts production for October
OPEC+ has agreed to cut production by 100,000 barrels per day in October, returning the targeted output to the level of August.
Iraq echoes Saudi concerns on oil market volatility, warns of OPEC action
Iraq’s SOMO has endorsed Saudi Arabia’s take on the oil market’s situation, expressing concerns around “false signals” for the market.
British ex-oil and gas geologist to be freed from prison after smuggling conviction quashed
A retired British oil and gas geologist is to be released from an Iraqi prison after his conviction for attempted artefact smuggling was quashed, according to his family.
Russia muscles in on Indian oil market at expense of OPEC titans
Watch out Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Russia is making huge inroads into the Indian oil market and has quite possibly become the largest supplier to the giant Asian buyer.
British former oil and gas geologist jailed in Iraq for smuggling artefacts
A British former oil and gas geologist has been sentenced by an Iraqi court to 15 years in prison after being convicted of attempting to smuggle artefacts out of the country.
Aberdeen man involved in Unaoil bribery case appeals conviction after similar cases quashed
An Aberdeen man found guilty of paying bribes to win oil contracts in war-torn Iraq has appealed against his conviction.
Barzani talks Kurdistan opportunities with PM Johnson in London
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hosted Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in No. 10, with talks of energy security and supplies to Europe.
Iraq eyes decision in May on Halliburton gas deal
Iraq may reactivate a deal with Halliburton to drill wells in a western gas field in Akkas next month, Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar told local media.
Security risks abound for MENA oil supply
The Middle East and North Africa region is at “growing risk” of oil supply disruption, a new analysis from Verisk Maplecroft has reported.
Second Unaoil conviction crumbles on appeal, in blow to SFO
The Court of Appeal has quashed another conviction related to alleged wrongdoing by Unaoil, setting Paul Bond free today in another rebuff to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).
Iranian missiles target Israelis in Kurdistan, miss US consulate
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) fired missiles into a Kurdistan city, the autonomous region of Iraq, on March 12.
Kurdistan, Baghdad clash over oil law legality
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has rejected a ruling from the Iraqi Supreme Court on the area’s oil and gas sector.
Gulf Keystone dials down production hopes in 2022
Gulf Keystone Petroleum has declared an additional dividend but warned that production will not grow as much as expected in 2022.
Crucial Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline knocked out by explosion sending oil prices higher
A key crude pipeline from Iraq to a Turkish port on the Mediterranean Sea was knocked out by an explosion on Tuesday, adding pressure to already tight oil markets and sending prices higher with oil extended gains in Asia from the highest close since 2014.
Genel defeated by Qara Dagh geology
Genel Energy has halted work on the QD-2 well in Kurdistan because of “insurmountable technical problems”, the company has acknowledged.
Rocket attack on Chinese oil firm servicing Petronas in Iraq
A rocket and gunfire attack targeted the premises of a Chinese oil services company servicing the Petronas-operated Al-Gharraf oilfield in southern Iraq. China’s Zongman Petroleum and Natural Gas Group (ZPEC) escaped damage and there were no casualties, officials said.
SFO under fire over disclosure as Unaoil conviction crumbles
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) saw one of its Unaoil convictions thrown out earlier this month and appeals for a second are moving ahead.
Former Petrofac executive ordered to pay £140,000 over bribery case
A former Petrofac executive has been ordered to pay £140,000 over bribery offences in the Middle East.
Halliburton denies vying for Exxon’s stake in Iraq field
Halliburton denied a claim by Iraq’s oil minister that it’s in talks to buy the stake of ExxonMobil in the huge West Qurna-1 oil field in the south of the country, amid ongoing uncertainty about the future ownership of the asset.
Iraq says Halliburton and ExxonMobil are in talks for stake in West Qurna-1 oil field
Halliburton and ExxonMobil are in talks over the latter’s attempt to sell a a stake in the West Qurna-1 oil field in southern Iraq, according to the country’s energy minister.
Aberdeen man embroiled in Unaoil bribery case ordered to repay almost £100,000
A former senior executive from Unaoil has been ordered to repay tens of thousands of pounds worth of criminal gains.
End of Petrofac investigation will unlock ‘lucrative’ Saudi and UAE markets
An investigation into allegations of bribery at Petrofac, which wrapped up yesterday, “will unlock the lucrative” Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) markets.
Petrofac fined £77 million for failing to prevent bribery
Petrofac (LSE: PFC - 192.4p) has been ordered to pay £77 million over seven separate counts of failure to prevent bribery between 2011 and 2017.
Updated: Petrofac charged with seven separate offences of failing to prevent bribery, intends to plead guilty
Energy services giant Petrofac has been charged with seven separate offences of failing to prevent bribery between 2011 and 2017.