Iraq invites global bidders for energy projects
Shafaq News/ On Monday, Iraq's Oil Minister, Hayan Abdul Ghani, announced the implementation of several gas investment projects, inviting global companies to submit bids for the upcoming licensing rounds, at the opening of the Iraqi-British Business Forum in Baghdad
Abdul-Ghani said that the gas investment projects include a contract with French company Total to produce 600 million cubic feet of gas in Basra and 200 million cubic feet with Baker Hughes to invest in gas from the Nasiriyah fields.
The Iraqi oil minister mentioned the start of gas production operations at the Akkas field in Anbar province, with a capacity of 400 million cubic feet, in addition to other projects in the Halfaya field in Maysan and Al-Mansouriya in Diyala, which are under execution as part of the fifth licensing round for gas investment in several provinces. Abdul-Ghani also noted that Iraq is working to meet domestic consumption needs, particularly related to powering the country’s electricity stations.
He called on international companies to submit bids to compete in the new licensing round for the investment of fields and exploratory blocks that the Ministry of Oil plans to offer for investment in the future across various Iraqi provinces. The ministry is also implementing major projects to meet refining needs, including building new refineries and pipelines for oil and gas exports.
Earlier, Abdul-Ghani confirmed that Baghdad and Erbil are finalizing the arrangements to begin "receiving and exporting oil from the Kurdistan Region within a week" after a two-year dispute that had halted exports.
The Kurdistan Region was previously exporting 450,000 barrels of oil daily via the Ceyhan port without the approval of the federal government in Baghdad. However, these exports ceased in March 2023 after an international arbitration panel ruled in favor of Baghdad, prohibiting any export of Kurdistan's oil unless conducted through the federal government-owned oil company, SOMO.
In February 2025, the Iraqi parliament approved an amendment to the general budget that aims to settle the dispute between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government over oil delivery.
