Thursday, September 06, 2007
Iraqi security official denies militia infiltration in Basra oil industry
Oil, Politics
(UPI) -- A top Iraqi security official disagrees with allegations Basra’s political leadership’s militia has infiltrated the Basra Oil Protection Force. Issa Jaffar Jabir, director general of the Ministry of National Security Affairs, said at an Iraq energy conference there is no proof militias have infiltrated the force at the behest of the government in Basra.
Jabir, at the Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit organized by the London-based Iraq Development Program, told reporters the “accusations” were “not fair.” The Fadhila Party is currently in control of Basra, Iraq’s oil capital, where most of Iraq’s 115 billion barrels of oil reserves are and nearly all the 1.6 million barrels per day are exported.
Since winning government in provincial elections the governor, Mohammed Waili, has been accused of stacking key leadership roles with his party members, including the police and the Oil Protection Force, which guards the oil infrastructure.“It’s true that the governor of Basra belongs to this party, but we cannot accuse an Iraqi official randomly,” Jabir said. He admitted some political parties, not just Fadhila, have been able to “penetrate” ministries of interior and defense, the security apparatus and facilities guards. “We started strongly to purge forces regardless of their parties and names,” he said.
Labels: Basra, Basra Oil Protection Force, Fadhila Party, Gas, Iraq Oil, Issa Jaffar Jabir, Mohammed Waili, oil, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit
Oil
(AME info) - Companies seeking to explore commercial opportunities throughout Iraq's petrochemical sector should look to attend the forthcoming Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical & Electricity Summit, which will take place in Dubai on 2-4 September 2007. The summit will welcome a senior level delegation from the Iraqi Ministry of Industry & Minerals, to be led by H.E. Fawzi Al-Hariri, Iraqi Minister of Industry & Minerals, who will be attending the summit with a delegation of senior deputies and including the Director General for Petrochemicals, the Director General for Petrochemical Industries and the Director General for Petrochemical Investments. H.E. Widad Osman, Minister of Industry for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), will also be attending the summit with a ministerial delegation.
These key decision makers will participate at the landmark summit, the first of its kind to bring ministers and other senior officials to establish relationships and enter into contractual negotiations with international energy operators. These high level officials will be outlining requirements for the petrochemical sector, covering issues such as refinery and petrochemical integration, feedstock flexibility and production availability for petrochemical production, as well as focusing on new petrochemical projects.
The officials will also be making themselves available to hold private consultations with senior executives from the pre-eminent energy operators. Only the best-in-breed companies will be represented at board level at the summit, building the relationships that are crucial to the future of Iraq's energy sector. The event has already attracted the leaders in this field including Exxon, Chevron, BP, Basell, ABB, Siemens, BASF and Shell, to name but a few.
Labels: Dubai, Gas, Iraq Oil, Iraq petrochemical sector, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit
Monday, June 11, 2007
Iraqi union leaders protest oil law
Oil
(Iraq Directory) - Iraqi union leaders met with a U.S. congressman they say is their biggest friend in Washington, urging a united front against Iraq's draft oil law. Faleh Abood Umara, general secretary of the Iraq Federation of Oil Unions, and Hashmeya Muhsin Hussein, president of the Electrical Utility Workers Union, called the proposed law a theft of Iraq's oil.
"We believe this is a new invasion of our economy and especially to take over our oil fields," Umara told Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, in a private meeting Thursday in the congressman's inner office, which UPI was allowed to attend. Kucinich is a presidential candidate and Congress ' most vocal war opponent. The law, which is stuck in negotiations, is feared by the unions as giving foreign oil companies too much access to Iraq's oil.
Umara was one of 10 union leaders for whom arrest warrants were issued earlier this week as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki responded to a strike of oil workers, who are demanding improved working conditions and a seat at the oil law negotiating table. The unions began a strike Monday over the law, as well as working conditions, but the work stoppage has been temporarily halted as negotiations continue in Basra.
"Therefore we believe this is a very aggressive act to take over our resources," Umara said. "The oil law, in its current status, does not serve the Iraqi people." Umara said foreign companies were welcome to Iraq's oil sector, but warned it should be limited. The unionists urged the United States, via Kucinich, to oppose the law. President Bush and the Democratic-led Congress have called on the Iraq parliament to pass the law soon, both in official speeches and as part of legislation funding the war through September.
"Mr. Kucinich, we see you as a friend of the Iraqi people and that is the general belief over there," Umara said. "We would hope that your government could put pressure on our government to not pass the oil law." Kucinich replied, "Unfortunately our government is putting pressure on your government to pass it."
"We believe this is a new invasion of our economy and especially to take over our oil fields," Umara told Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, in a private meeting Thursday in the congressman's inner office, which UPI was allowed to attend. Kucinich is a presidential candidate and Congress ' most vocal war opponent. The law, which is stuck in negotiations, is feared by the unions as giving foreign oil companies too much access to Iraq's oil.
Umara was one of 10 union leaders for whom arrest warrants were issued earlier this week as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki responded to a strike of oil workers, who are demanding improved working conditions and a seat at the oil law negotiating table. The unions began a strike Monday over the law, as well as working conditions, but the work stoppage has been temporarily halted as negotiations continue in Basra.
"Therefore we believe this is a very aggressive act to take over our resources," Umara said. "The oil law, in its current status, does not serve the Iraqi people." Umara said foreign companies were welcome to Iraq's oil sector, but warned it should be limited. The unionists urged the United States, via Kucinich, to oppose the law. President Bush and the Democratic-led Congress have called on the Iraq parliament to pass the law soon, both in official speeches and as part of legislation funding the war through September.
"Mr. Kucinich, we see you as a friend of the Iraqi people and that is the general belief over there," Umara said. "We would hope that your government could put pressure on our government to not pass the oil law." Kucinich replied, "Unfortunately our government is putting pressure on your government to pass it."
Labels: Dennis Kucinich, draft oil law, Faleh Abood Umara, Iraq Federation of Oil Unions, Iraq Oil
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit rescheduled
Summit
(BI-ME) - Following consultation with senior officials from the Iraqi government, the Kurdistan Regional Government and the US Embassy Baghdad the organisers have said it is necessary to reschedule the Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical & Electricity Summit for 2-4 September 2007. This has come about as a result of ongoing negotiations concerning Iraq’s proposed new hydrocarbon law.
Jeff Ando, Communications Director, Iraq Development Program, said: "Expectations were that the hydrocarbon law would be in place for the scheduled date, but it has now become clear that the law will take a few more weeks to be passed and that the interests of attending companies and the Iraq Development Program will be best served by ensuring that the event has the strongest and most unified Iraqi support."
Jeff Ando, Communications Director, Iraq Development Program, said: "Expectations were that the hydrocarbon law would be in place for the scheduled date, but it has now become clear that the law will take a few more weeks to be passed and that the interests of attending companies and the Iraq Development Program will be best served by ensuring that the event has the strongest and most unified Iraqi support."
Accordingly, it is agreed that 2-4 September will be the best time for the international energy community to gather and discuss hydrocarbon activities within Iraq, the organisers said. The success of this event will come from companies such as Business Intelligence-Middle East attending and the strong delegation the Iraqi government will send once the hydrocarbon law has been passed.
The meeting will still be taking place at the Grand Hyatt Dubai, which remains an outstanding venue for some historic announcements and discussions about the future of energy in Iraq. The Iraq Development Program apologises for any inconvenience caused and maintains its commitment to serve the best interests of its delegates in making sure it delivers the strongest possible event for Iraq’s energy sector.
Labels: draft oil law, Gas, Iraq Oil, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Billions of dollars of Iraqi oil production unaccounted for
Oil
(Reuters) - Billions of dollars' worth of Iraq's declared oil production over the past four years is unaccounted for, possibly having been siphoned off through corruption or smuggling, The New York Times said on Saturday. Between 100,000 and 300,000 barrels of Iraq's daily output of roughly 2 million barrels is missing, it said, citing a draft report prepared by the U.S. Government Accountability Office and government energy analysts which is expected to be released next week.
The discrepancy was valued between $5 million and $15 million daily, using a $50 per barrel average, the report said. That adds up to billions of dollars over the four years since the March 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. The newspaper was provided the draft report by a separate government office that received a review copy.
The GAO declined to discuss the draft, the paper said. The report did not make a final conclusion on what happened to the missing oil, and provided alternative explanations besides corruption or smuggling, including possible Iraqi overstating of its production. A State Department official who works on energy matters offered possible explanations including pipeline sabotage, or inaccurate reporting of oil production in southern Iraq.
"It could also be theft," the Times quoted the unnamed official as saying, with suspicion falling on southern Shi'ite militias. "Crude oil is not as lucrative in the region as refined products, but we're not ruling that out either," the official said."There is not an issue of insurgency, per se, but it could be funding Shia factions, and that could very well be true.""That would be a concern if they were using smuggling money to blow up American soldiers or kill Sunnis or do anything that could harm the unity of the country," the Times quoted the official as saying.
The newspaper characterized the report as the most comprehensive look thus far at what it called faltering U.S. efforts to rebuild Iraq's oil and electricity sectors. The GAO tapped experts at the Energy Information Administration within the United States Department of Energy for its oil analysis. Erik Kreil, an oil expert at the administration who is familiar with the analysis, said a review of industry figures worldwide indicated Iraq's stated production figures did not add up.
"Either they're producing less, or they're producing what they say and the difference is completely unaccounted for in any of the places we think it should go," Kreil told the Times. "Either it's overly optimistic, or it's unaccounted for." Analysts outside the government said such a large discrepancy indicated that there was either a major smuggling operation in place or that Iraq was not generating accurate production figures, the newspaper added.
Labels: corruption, GAO, Iraq Oil, smuggling, U.S. Government Accountability Office
Friday, April 27, 2007
Iranian military occupy border post to explore for Iraqi oil
Oil, Iran
(Azzaman) - The Iranian military have occupied an Iraqi border post and are planning to explore for oil inside Iraqi territory. The Iranians first ordered Iraqi border guards to leave the post before storming it. The Iranians claim that they have already notified the Iraqi authorities of the move, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The border post is situated west of the southern city of Kut and Iraqi police in the city declined to comment. Meantime, Iraqi politicians and groups have pressed ahead with their harsh criticism of the current U.S.-Iraqi military operation in Baghdad and U.S. troops’ construction of ‘separation walls’ in the city.
The first portion of the wall is to involve the predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Adhamiya in Baghdad. The high concrete slabs, currently encircling part of the neighborhood, are said to be erected to separate more districts. Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Alawi said the policy of ‘walls and military operations’ was doomed to failure. “Such measures being implemented by U.S. and Iraqi forces are a recipe for a failed strategy. The only alternative is national reconciliation,” he said.
The border post is situated west of the southern city of Kut and Iraqi police in the city declined to comment. Meantime, Iraqi politicians and groups have pressed ahead with their harsh criticism of the current U.S.-Iraqi military operation in Baghdad and U.S. troops’ construction of ‘separation walls’ in the city.
The first portion of the wall is to involve the predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Adhamiya in Baghdad. The high concrete slabs, currently encircling part of the neighborhood, are said to be erected to separate more districts. Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Alawi said the policy of ‘walls and military operations’ was doomed to failure. “Such measures being implemented by U.S. and Iraqi forces are a recipe for a failed strategy. The only alternative is national reconciliation,” he said.
Labels: Adhamiyah, border post, Iran, Iraq Oil, Iyad Allawi, Kut
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Russian govt. backs LUKoil's bid to develop Iraqi oil field
Oil, Business
(Financial Times) - The Russian government is throwing its full support behind Lukoil's ambition to become the first big international energy group to develop a major Iraqi oil field following the 2003 US invasion.
Vagit Alekperov, Lukoil's chief executive, said in an interview on Tuesday: "The Russian government supports us, the foreign ministry supports us, the president of the federation supports us. They support the idea of putting those Iraqi fields [into production] as soon as possible. In all these areas we have the support of the Russian government."
He added that Lukoil would be able to develop the West Qurna field two to three times more quickly than any other company. "We are ready to move really fast," he said. "The situation in South Iraq is pretty stable and we have no problem starting operations right after the passage of the hydrocarbon law and once we have the necessary approvals," he said. Iraq's parliament aims to pass the law by the end of next month.
West Qurna is believed to hold as many as 11bn-15bn barrels of recoverable oil reserves and has a potential to produce as many as 1m barrels a day, making it one of the world's biggest fields. International energy companies such as ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell and BP have been waiting for the security situation in Iraq to improve before developing fields, and analysts believe the situation in the Shia-dominated region close to the southern port of Basra where West Qurna is located is far from predictable.
But at least one US company would benefit if Iraq's oil ministry assigned the development of West Qurna to Lukoil. In 2004 ConocoPhillips, the US's third largest energy group, formed a strategic partnership with Lukoil in which the US company gradually expanded its stake to just shy of 20 per cent. At the time of the announcement, the companies noted the eventually development of West Qurna as one of their motives for the deal.
Lukoil has spent more than a decade angling for West Qurna. In spite of United Nations sanctions, the company signed a deal with Saddam Hussein, Iraq's deposed president, in 1997 to develop the field. But in 2002, shortly before the US invasion, Baghdad rescinded the deal, saying it was angered by Lukoil's attempts to get assurances from the opposition that it would keep the contract in case Mr Hussein's regime fell. In the past two years Lukoil has spent $20m to train 1000-2000 Iraqi oil field engineers in Russian fields, put another 100 through Russian universities and provide equipment for Iraq's oil industry.
Vagit Alekperov, Lukoil's chief executive, said in an interview on Tuesday: "The Russian government supports us, the foreign ministry supports us, the president of the federation supports us. They support the idea of putting those Iraqi fields [into production] as soon as possible. In all these areas we have the support of the Russian government."
He added that Lukoil would be able to develop the West Qurna field two to three times more quickly than any other company. "We are ready to move really fast," he said. "The situation in South Iraq is pretty stable and we have no problem starting operations right after the passage of the hydrocarbon law and once we have the necessary approvals," he said. Iraq's parliament aims to pass the law by the end of next month.
West Qurna is believed to hold as many as 11bn-15bn barrels of recoverable oil reserves and has a potential to produce as many as 1m barrels a day, making it one of the world's biggest fields. International energy companies such as ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell and BP have been waiting for the security situation in Iraq to improve before developing fields, and analysts believe the situation in the Shia-dominated region close to the southern port of Basra where West Qurna is located is far from predictable.
But at least one US company would benefit if Iraq's oil ministry assigned the development of West Qurna to Lukoil. In 2004 ConocoPhillips, the US's third largest energy group, formed a strategic partnership with Lukoil in which the US company gradually expanded its stake to just shy of 20 per cent. At the time of the announcement, the companies noted the eventually development of West Qurna as one of their motives for the deal.
Lukoil has spent more than a decade angling for West Qurna. In spite of United Nations sanctions, the company signed a deal with Saddam Hussein, Iraq's deposed president, in 1997 to develop the field. But in 2002, shortly before the US invasion, Baghdad rescinded the deal, saying it was angered by Lukoil's attempts to get assurances from the opposition that it would keep the contract in case Mr Hussein's regime fell. In the past two years Lukoil has spent $20m to train 1000-2000 Iraqi oil field engineers in Russian fields, put another 100 through Russian universities and provide equipment for Iraq's oil industry.
Labels: ConocoPhillips, Iraq Oil, LUKoil, Vagit Alekperov, West Qurna
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Date for Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical & Electricity Summit set
Oil, Conference
(Iraq Development Program) - In agreement with the Iraqi Government, the Iraq Development Program (IDP) is proud to announce that the official Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical & Electricity Summit will now be taking place in Dubai, UAE on 28-30 May 2007. For the most important sectors of the Iraqi economy, this historic landmark event will be the first of its kind since the formation of Iraq's Unity Government, with these key decision makers participating with the full intent of establishing relationships and entering into contractual negotiations with all international operators wishing to be part of both the upstream and downstream sectors.
The summit will welcome representation from the Iraqi Ministries of Oil, Industry & Minerals and Electricity, as well as the Iraq Energy Council, Investment Promotion Agency and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministries of Natural Resources, Industry and Electricity. It will also host many of the state companies operating under the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and senior representatives from the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO).
These best-in-breed operators and companies will be represented at board level, with the summit having attracted interest from the likes of Shell, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Lukoil, Total, Statoil, Marathon Oil, Kuwait National Petroleum, Schlumberger, Oracle, Technology Partners, ABB, BHP Billiton, General Electric, Siemens, Cummins Power, Pratt & Whitney, Bukkehave, Control Risks, Sumitomo, Babcock, AMEC, Mitsubishi, Marubeni, Wartsila, Deutz, Mitsui, Honeywell and a variety of medium-sized operators as well as leading Russian and Asian companies.
Furthermore, the summit will ensure the involvement of leading Iraqi businesses and families. A central pillar of the Iraq Development Program is to promote greater employment in Iraq through partnerships and to allow for international operators to meet with local Iraqi operators to explore partnering opportunities.
For more information and to register your attendance please visit:http://www.iraqdevelopmentprogram.org/idp/events/iog/index.htm
The summit will welcome representation from the Iraqi Ministries of Oil, Industry & Minerals and Electricity, as well as the Iraq Energy Council, Investment Promotion Agency and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministries of Natural Resources, Industry and Electricity. It will also host many of the state companies operating under the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and senior representatives from the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO).
These best-in-breed operators and companies will be represented at board level, with the summit having attracted interest from the likes of Shell, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Lukoil, Total, Statoil, Marathon Oil, Kuwait National Petroleum, Schlumberger, Oracle, Technology Partners, ABB, BHP Billiton, General Electric, Siemens, Cummins Power, Pratt & Whitney, Bukkehave, Control Risks, Sumitomo, Babcock, AMEC, Mitsubishi, Marubeni, Wartsila, Deutz, Mitsui, Honeywell and a variety of medium-sized operators as well as leading Russian and Asian companies.
Furthermore, the summit will ensure the involvement of leading Iraqi businesses and families. A central pillar of the Iraq Development Program is to promote greater employment in Iraq through partnerships and to allow for international operators to meet with local Iraqi operators to explore partnering opportunities.
For more information and to register your attendance please visit:http://www.iraqdevelopmentprogram.org/idp/events/iog/index.htm
Labels: Dubai, Gas, Iraq Oil, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Oil minister discusses draft oil law
Oil
(VOI) - Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahrestani said on Wednesday the enactment of an oil and gas law is a national achievement for Iraq’s people, underlining that it would have a positive affect on Iraq’s unity. "The law tops Iraqis' interests and its clauses are based on realizing national interests," the state-run al-Iraqia satellite channel quoted the minister as saying during a forum held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday.
"The oil and gas law consists of 43 clauses and four articles," the minister said in the forum, which was attended by deputy parliamentary speaker, Khaled al-Attiya, and a number of Iraqi lawmakers. "The law stipulates that the cabinet will be responsible for approving federal oil policy and supervising drilling, extracting, producing and marketing oil," al-Shahrestani also said. "To fulfill these responsibilities, the federal council for oil and gas will be established," the minister stated.
"The council consists of the oil, finance and planning ministers, the federal government, the governor of the Central Bank, a representative of each province where production capacity exceeds 100,000 barrels per day, and a number of Iraqi experts," he added. "The council will be assigned to make federal oil policies and production plans, grant licenses for drilling, and to sign contracts," al-Sharestani noted.
"An office of Iraqi independent experts will also help the council to fulfill its work," he highlighted."Licenses for drilling will be granted for four years," the minister said, noting that in the case where oil and gas are found in the field, the council will grant a license for two years for estimating production, and sign a contract for 20 years to produce oil and develop oil fields," the oil minister concluded.
Labels: draft oil law, Hussain al-Shahrastani, Iraq Oil, licenses
Monday, April 16, 2007
Chevron to sponsor Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit
Summit
(Al Bawaba) - Chevron has confirmed its role as a sponsor of the forthcoming Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical & Electricity Summit, which will take place on 28-30 May 2007. The summit has been organised to bring together key Iraq Government decision makers in the energy sector and international operators seeking partnership opportunities in both the upstream and downstream industry.
(Al Bawaba) - Chevron has confirmed its role as a sponsor of the forthcoming Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical & Electricity Summit, which will take place on 28-30 May 2007. The summit has been organised to bring together key Iraq Government decision makers in the energy sector and international operators seeking partnership opportunities in both the upstream and downstream industry.
The summit will welcome representation from the Iraqi Ministries of Oil, Industry & Minerals and Electricity, as well as the Iraq Energy Council, Investment Promotion Agency and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministries for Natural Resources, Industry and Electricity. It will also host many of the state companies operating under the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and senior representatives from the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO).This historic landmark event will be the first of its kind for the most important sectors of the Iraqi economy.
Labels: Chevron, Gas, Iraq Oil, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit
