Iraq says Exxon won't move on Kurdistan oil blocs, until the central govt approves the contracts

Iraq says Exxon won't move on Kurdistan oil blocs, until the central govt approves the contracts

News

Kurd Net does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news information on this page

Iraq says Exxon won't move on Kurdistan oil blocs, until the central govt approves the contracts 18.4.2012

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Hussein al-Shahristani speaks during an interview with AFP in Baghdad on April 1, 2012. Photo: Getty
See Related Links

Iraq willing to discuss oil differences with Kurds

April 18, 2012

LONDON, — Exxon Mobil has told Baghdad it will not break ground on its oil blocs in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in the north until the central government approves the contracts, Iraq's top energy official said on Wednesday.

Exxon sent Baghdad into a fury at the end of last year by signing up for six KRG exploration blocs. The central government holds that any oil contracts signed with Kurdistan are illegal.

The U.S. major, also leading a project at the supergiant West Qurna-1 oilfield in southern Iraq, has sent two letters to the oil ministry confirming its decision to freeze its Kurdish deals.

Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Hussain al-Shahristani said on a visit to London that the company made clear it would only proceed if Baghdad approved its Kurdistan Regional Government KRG contracts.

Shahristani has indicated many times that such approval was unlikely to be granted.

Iraq's central government is willing to discuss differences on oil deals with the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister for Energy said on Wednesday.

Hussain al-Shahristani, speaking on a visit to London, also said the differences were very serious and it was not possible to pre-judge whether a solution would be found.

The dispute between Iraq's central government and its autonomous Kurdish region over oil exports has worsened in recent weeks.

"As for Exxon, they have sent a letter to the ministry of oil confirming that they will not take any action on the ground until their contract is approved by the Iraqi government," he said at a conference.

Baghdad has threatened to exclude Exxon from its upcoming exploration round and Shahristani said a decision had yet to be made on whether it could take part.

A long-running dispute between Iraq's central government and the KRG over land and oil rights has worsened in recent weeks and Erbil halted oil exports at the start of April.

Shahristani said Baghdad is prepared to discuss serious differences with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over oil matters,www.ekurd.net but said they would take time to resolve.

The high-ranking Iraqi official also confirmed that talks were taking place between BP and Baghdad over the northern Kirkuk oilfield.

The UK major is looking closely at a project to revive the giant, ageing oilfield. Baghdad is understood to be keen to have the British oil major positioned in northern Iraq to counter the recent controversial move by Exxon into Kurdistan.

Copyright ©, respective author or news agency, Reuters

Share this story |

Top

Kurd Net does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news information on this page

Kurdish Music Box	RSS Feed	News Archive	Today in the History	Free stuff	Download
Arabic Newspapers	Flights to Kurdistan	Upcoming Events	Chat	Photos	Online News RSS