BP hiring practices in Kirkuk face parliamentary scrutiny
Shafaq News- Kirkuk
British energy company BP does not prioritize residents and companies in Kirkuk despite applying that policy elsewhere, an Iraqi MP said on Friday, calling for a review of the company's hiring and contracting practices.
BP resumed operations in Kirkuk last month after temporarily withdrawing foreign employees from its oil field development projects in March amid regional security tensions.
Dilan Ghafoor, representing the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, pointed out that she raised the issue during a legislative session, urging the parliament speaker and the Oil Ministry to review BP's employment and contracting mechanisms “to ensure fair recruitment and contract awards.”
Read more: Foreign labor pressures jobs despite falling unemployment
Kirkuk is home to some of Iraq's oldest and largest oil fields, including the Kirkuk, Bai Hassan, Jambur, and Khabbaz fields. The fields have faced technical and security challenges in recent years, prompting the Oil Ministry to partner with international energy companies to rehabilitate infrastructure and increase production capacity.
According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), Iraq holds more than 145 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves.
