Posted on

KRG DPM Talabani to Speak at Virtual Kurdistan Iraq Economic Forum

Kurdistan’s Deputy Prime Minister HE Qubad Talabani to Speak at the Virtual Kurdistan Iraq Economic Forum

  • Inaugural Conference set to navigate the economic future Kurdistan and Iraq
  • Conference will include online sessions available live and on demand for all attendees
  • Delegates will gain insights into the latest policy and project announcements, crucial for successful investment decisions in the region as well as the key recovery strategies post pandemic
  • Virtual Event will take place on 17 – 18 November through an interactive platform

CWC and Global Future Energy are hosting the Kurdistan-Iraq Economic Forum with the support of the KRG High Commission to the UK.

Sponsored by Chevron, the Forum aims to be the first gathering dedicated to the economic diversification of the Region, and will include 6 panel sessions, enabling senior decision makers across multiple industries to engage with each other virtually to address current issues and facilitate practical solutions to advance the economy in these challenging times.

Confirmed speakers include:

  1. HE Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister, Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq HE
  2. HE Safeen Dizayee, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Kurdistan Regional Government, Iraq
  3. HE Karwan Jamal, Kurdistan Region High Representative to the UK, London
  4. HE Dr Amanj Raheem, Cabinet Minister, Member of the Oil & Gas Council, Kurdistan Regional Government, Iraq
  5. HE Kamal Muslim Saeed, Minister of Trade & Industry, Kurdistan Regional Government, Iraq
  6. Matthew M. Zais, Ph.D., Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of International Affairs, US Department of Energy

“The Kurdistan Region has an opportunity to become an important commercial centre in Iraq and the region in order to attract foreign investments to implement strategic projects” said Prime Minister Barzani last month at the Supreme Economic Council meeting in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and a number of ministers and governors.

In light of the current unprecedented circumstances, decision-makers and influencers from various industries will gather to unlock new business opportunities on all levels of the economy   by addressing the following themes:

  • Extending the Value Chain beyond Producing Oil: How the Oil Sector Could Enrich Economic Diversification?
  • Kurdistan plans to privatize the electricity sector, opportunities for investors
  • Diversifying the energy mix to increase the role of gas and renewables
  • How to grow non-oil sectors that will provide a sustainable source of growth?
  • Fiscal reforms packages to support the recovery of post pandemic
  • Maximizing strategic alignment with the major companies to support in building the region’s infrastructure
  • Promoting the growth of the economy through innovations in procurement and financial supply chain management processes

Over the past decade, the CWC Iraq Portfolio has hosted over 100+ Ministers and Senior Officials at various events. The Inaugural Kurdistan Iraq Economic Forum will bring together the international commercial executives interested in investing in Kurdistan.  CWC, now a brand of Global Future Energy, will again provide the only international platform for high level stakeholders in the Region to convene.

For further information, visit https://www.kurdistan-economic.com/

To access the full programme, please click here.

The post KRG DPM Talabani to Speak at Virtual Kurdistan Iraq Economic Forum first appeared on Iraq Business News.

Posted on

Three Experts offer advice to Iraq

By Padraig O’Hannelly.

A major petroleum conference has heard expert advice on the steps Iraq should take to increase its prosperity and wellbeing.

Addressing delegates at CWC/GFEn‘s Iraq Petroleum conference, held online this week for the first time, Anne-Laure Kiechel, Founding Partner at Global Sovereign Advisory, stressed the importance of fighting illegality in Iraq. She added that the counry needs a well-functioning sovereign wealth fund to preserve the counry’s assets for the benefit of future generations.

Dr Carole Nakhle, Chief Executive Officer at Crystol Energy, emphasised the need to break the link between the economic reforms agenda and oil prices.

Meanwhile, Salem Chalabi, the newly-appointed Chairman and President of the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI), focussed on the requirement to make long-lasting changes and regulatory reforms (and in particular, reform of the levels of salaries and pensions) before declaring that Iraq is open for business.

 

The post Three Experts offer advice to Iraq first appeared on Iraq Business News.

Posted on

Key Speakers to address Iraq Petroleum Virtual Event

Iraqi Government and Oil and Gas Industry Thought Leaders to Speak at Iraq Petroleum Virtual Event

  • Annual Conference set to navigate the future of the oil and gas industry in Iraq
  • Conference will include online conference sessions available live and on demand for all attendees
  • Delegates will gain insights into the latest policy and project announcements in the oil and gas sector in Iraq as well as the key recovery strategies post pandemic
  • Virtual Event will take place on 20 – 21 October through an interactive platform

CWC and Global Future Energy’s Iraq Petroleum Virtual Conference will include 6 content-rich panel sessions, enabling the oil and gas industry stakeholders to connect and engage with each other virtually to address current issues and facilitate practical solutions to advance the industry in these challenging times.

The Iraq Petroleum Virtual Conference constitutes of Ministerial Panel, Leader’s Session, a Spotlight Session on Kurdistan Iraq Economic Relations and executive panels delivered by thought industry experts. The conference will provide exclusive information, maps and updates on unrivalled opportunities and upcoming projects.

Iraq Petroleum attendees will gain all necessary tools to swiftly adapt their businesses to the post-lockdown environment. In light of the unprecedented circumstances and arising opportunities, the decision-makers and influencers from across the industry will get together to unlock new business opportunities on all levels of the energy industry at Iraq’s most-established and longest-running energy event, the Iraq Petroleum Conference, and discuss:

  • Iraq’s potential as a game changer in the global energy markets; how could Iraq reach its full potential?
  • How could Iraq build a new breed of NOC-backed by trading houses?
  • How could Iraq expand its crude oil market beyond the current buyers?
  • Iraq’s next chapter of upstream investment: How to reform Iraq’s upstream service contracts; what is the way forward?
  • Post pandemic lessons: How to accelerate the digital transformation of Iraq’s energy sector?
  • Iraq’s Electricity: Revolutionizing the Industry; What are Iraq’s priorities post pandemic?
  • Do International Oil Companies plan to build portfolios in Iraq through investments in various parts of the value chain?
  • What are Iraq’s projected gas plans in 2020-2030?

Over the past decade, the CWC Iraq Portfolio has hosted over 100+ Ministers and Senior Officials at various events. Now in its 14th year, Iraq Petroleum will again provide the only platform for oil and gas stakeholders in Iraq to convene. These high-calibre events are held with the support and participation of the new Federal Iraqi Government, the Federal Ministry of Oil, Federal Ministry of Electricity, the Iraqi Federal Parliament, REFAATO as well as considerable sponsors including Lukoil, Mitsubishi and ILF.

Speakers will include:

  1. HE Ihsan Abduljabbar Ismaael Al-Saade, Minister of Oil, Federal Government of Iraq
  2. HE Nafaa Abdulsada Ali Al-Hmidawi, Senior Deputy Minister, Ministry of Electricity, Federal Government of Iraq
  3. Matthew M. Zais, PhD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of International Affairs, US Department of Energy
  4. HE Matthew H. Tueller, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, United States Embassy, Iraq
  5. Husam Hussein Weli, Director General, South Refineries Ministry of Oil, Federal Government of Iraq
  6. Dr Khalid Al-Yaqoobi, Director General, President of Iraq Office, Iraq Presidency, Federal Government of Iraq
  7. Egor Zubarev, Managing Director, LUKOIL Mid-East Limited
  8. Zaid Elyaseri, Head of Country, BP Iraq

For further information, visit https://www.cwciraqpetroleum.com/

To access the full programme, please click here.

The post Key Speakers to address Iraq Petroleum Virtual Event first appeared on Iraq Business News.

Posted on

Iraq could surpass Saudi Arabia in Oil Production

By Padraig O’Hannelly.

A senior oil executive has predicted that Iraq could surpass Saudi Arabia as an oil producer.

Addressing delegates at CWC‘s Iraq Petroleum conference in London, Majid Jafar (pictured), CEO of Sharjah-based Crescent Petroleum, said:

“Iraq is hugely underexplored. We at Crescent know of 300 structures just in the Western Desert that have yet to be drilled, so I for one believe that Iraq has a lot of potential, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes the largest producer in OPEC during my career.”

Crescent Petroleum has an interest in the Khor Mor field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and has signed initial contracts to develop the oil fields of Gilabat-Qumar (in Diyala), Khashim Ahmer-Injana (in Diyala), and Khudher Al-Mai [Khider al-Mai] (in Basra and Muthana).

Posted on

Shaping Iraq’s Role in the Global Energy Scene

There can be no doubting Iraq’s oil credentials. It is Opec’s number two oil producer, second only to Saudi Arabia, and holds the world’s fifth-largest proved oil reserves. Production is on the rise, having nearly doubled over the past decade, averaging around 4.5 million barrels per day in 2018.

Almost 90 per cent of the country’s output comes from giant oilfields in the southern part of the country. The remainder is largely pumped from oilfields in the northeast, in the semiautonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), which is under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

This is good news for a country that is heavily dependent on revenues from its oil exports, which, according to the IMF, accounted for almost 90 per cent of total government revenues in 2017. The rise in oil prices, despite recent wobbles in the face of US-China trade tensions, has certainly been a boost to the country’s coffers and provides further impetus for investment in development and infrastructure.

This upwards trajectory is likely to continue as the country seeks to fill the supply gap left by new US sanctions on Iran. Iraq is keen to lift production capacity to 5 million bpd this year, and to 8.5 million bpd in the coming years as it upgrades its infrastructure. The southern oilfields are key to this growth, expected to pump some 6.5 million bpd in the coming years, with the country keen to partner with international oil companies (IOCs) to secure the necessary investment to unlock its vast resource potential.

Iraq’s growing importance as a key player on the world’s energy stage will be discussed at the upcoming CWC two-day event, Iraq Petroleum, which will be held in London on June 27-28 in collaboration with the new Federal Government of Iraq. For the first time, the event is being co-located with the one-day Kirkuk & Mosul Mega-Projects event on June 29, where delegates will be first to hear government plans and investment opportunities to develop the giant oilfields in the newly liberated oil-rich areas of Kirkuk and Mosul.

The three-day event brings together key figures shaping the future of this strategically important country. The Iraqi ministerial delegation will be led by H.E. Thamir Gadbhan, Deputy Prime Minister for Energy & Minister of Oil along with the heads of the Basra Oil Company and North Oil Company, while the international oil industry is well represented, with confirmed speakers including Michael Townshend, Regional President of BP Middle East, Jeffrey T. Levy, President of Chevron Chevron Europe, Eurasia and Middle East E&P, Majid Jafar, CEO of Crescent Petroleum, and Gati Saadi Al-Jebouri, Managing Director of LUKOIL Mid-East Limited.

It’s not just oil that’s creating new investment opportunities for international partners. Oslo-based energy consultancy Rystad Energy forecasts that in terms of resoruces sanctioned for development, gas will overtake oil projects in 2019, with new projects, mainly in the Kurdistan Region, set to triple the country’s gas output from just over 1 billion cubic feet per day in 2017 to 3 billion cf/d in 2022, enabling it to meet growing domestic demand for gas and possibly even launch the country as a gas exporter for the first time. Again, it’s a topic that will be widely covered at CWC’s Iraq Petroleum event, including presentations from Dr Jaafar Oklany, commercial director of Basra Gas Company and Ali H. Khudhier Al-Saady, former director general of South Gas Company, Basra.

For anyone with an interest in Iraq’s future, and indeed the stability of the world energy mix, this is one event not to be missed.

For further information, visit https://www.cwciraqpetroleum.com/

For full programme, download the brochure

(Source: CWC)

Posted on

Iraq Plans Big Increase in Oil Production

By John Lee.

The Basra Oil Company (BOC) reportedly plans to increase production  from 3.2 to 5 million barrels per day over the next seven years.

According to Platts, BOC directror Ihsan Ismaael told the CWC Basra conference in Istanbul that the increased production would be sustained for at least 20 years after that.

Among the projects being considered are three new subsea pipelines replacing the old pipelines leading to the Khor al-Amaya Oil Terminal (KAAOT) and the al-Basra Oil Terminal (ABOT), adding up to 3 million bpd of new export capacity.

ABOT is currently operating at just under half its capacity of 3.5 million bpd due to the risk of pipeline rupture, while the 350k-bpd KAAOT (pictured) has been offline because of oil leaks when the pipeline is pressurised high enough for loading to be economical.

New pipelines and storage pumping at the Fao terminal would also allow the four installed single point mooring buoys (SPMs) to reach their capacity of 900,000 bpd each — up from about half that now — and potentially add a fifth SPM.

More here from Platts.

(Source: Platts)

Posted on

Luiebi named Head of new National Oil Company

Iraq’s Cabinet has named Jabbar al-Luiebi, the current oil minister, to head the new Iraqi National Oil Company (INOC) – giving new momentum to a fundamental restructuring of the country’s oil sector.

“Yes, he is the president of the Iraqi National Oil Company,” said Oil Ministry Spokesperson Assem Jihad, in an interview with Iraq Oil Report on the sidelines of the CWC Basra Mega Projects conference in Istanbul. “The company will be in charge of Basra Oil Company, North Oil Company, all of it – more than the ministry.”

More details here from Iraq Oil Report (subscription required)

(Source: Iraq Oil Report)

Posted on

IOCs discuss Basra’s Oil and Gas Megaprojects

BP, Shell, Basra Gas Company, LUKOIL, Petronas and Chevron discuss Basra’s oil and gas megaprojects

The 5th annual CWC Basra Megaprojects Conference – Oil, Gas & Environment will be held from 9-10 October in Istanbul, Turkey chaired by the EU Ambassador to Baghdad, Ramon Blecau.

In a show of support for the rebuilding of Iraq, Ambassador Blecau and industry experts will highlight the business opportunities available in the resource-rich South of Iraq with the aim of driving more investment to develop the country’s industrial infrastructure.

The conference takes place under the patronage of Basra’s Governorate, Council and oil company and looks to find solutions to the challenges of Basra’s oil and gas megaprojects and increasing Iraq’s oil and gas production, as well as highlighting the upcoming infrastructure projects for: gas, water, electricity and environment. All the major operators will be participating in discussions including: BP, Shell, Basra Gas Company, LUKOIL, Petronas and Chevron.

Further to these discussions, there will be a strong focus on Iraq’s environment and how to build a legislative framework to tackle Basra’s environmental issues; tackling all types of challenges including the demining projects.

New technology will play a significant role in achieving operational excellence in the execution of Iraq’s projects; whilst Iraq’s new generation of workforce are eager to embrace the technologies, the conference will touch upon the training programmes that are imperative for helping Iraqis compete for job opportunities and increase the role of the Iraqi local workforce in the execution of the latest projects.

Water and desalination projects will be the centre of discussion on the second day of the conference as well as the electricity requirements for such projects and ideas for renewable projects in Iraq.

Gas and petrochemical projects will also be covered by industry experts, which will be instrumental in creating new jobs for Iraqis but raise further questions on how the environment can be preserved during these processes. During the conclusion of the Conference, all the available tenders for the new projects will be outlined.

The interactive networking sessions will be at the centre of the conference with great number of functions including the Gala Dinner at the end of the first day of the Conference. The achievements of individuals in environmental technology projects will also be celebrated at the Environmental Awards Ceremony, which will take place during the Gala Dinner with awards being given out by the Iraqi delegation.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Intercontinental Istanbul from 9-10 of October. To download the latest programme, please visit www.cwcbasraoilgas.com/brochure-download/.

Distinguished Speakers to include:

  • Ambassador Ramon Blecua, Ambassador / Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Union to Iraq
    • HE Kameran Ali Hassan    , Deputy Minister of Environment, Ministry of Environment, Federal Government of Iraq
    •       HE Asaad Abdulamir Abdulghafar Al – Idan    , Governor of Basra, Federal Government of Iraq
    •       HE Engineer Mohammed Al Tamimi    , First Deputy Governor of Basra, Governorate of Basra, Federal Government of Iraq
    •       Ihsan Abduljabbar Ismaael Al – Saade    , Director General of the Basra Oil Company, Ministry of Oil, Federal Government of Iraq
    •       HE Dara Reshid    , Deputy Minister, Deputy Head of Reconstruction Fund for Areas Affected by Terroristic Operations (REFAATO), Ministry of Construction, Housing & General Municipalities, Federal Government of Iraq
    •       HE Ali Dawai Lazem    , Governor of Maysan, Federal Government of Iraq
    •       Nafaa Abdulsada Ali Al-Hmidawi    , Director General of Training & Development Office, Ministry of Electricity, Federal Government of Iraq
    •       Mohammed Hashim    , Director General of Electricity Distribution, Ministry of Electricity, Federal Government of Iraq
  • MP Dr Jamal Abdul-Zahra Muhammadawi, Member of the Parliament Representing Basra, Federal Parliament of Iraq •                   Kevin J. Kveton, Ph.D.Director, Iraq Exploration & Business Development, Chevron  Europe, Eurasia & Middle East Exploration & Production
    •       Zaid Elyaseri    , Country Manager, BP Iraq
    •       Dr Mark Wharton    , Development & JV Manager Shell Iraq, Shell EP International Ltd.
    •       Abd Malik Jaffar    , Iraq Country Chairman, PETRONAS Carigali Iraq Holding B.V.
    •       Yaroslav Okulov    ,  Financial Director, LUKOIL Mid-East Ltd
    •       Dr Jaafar Oklany    , Commercial Director, Basrah Gas Company

View the full list of speakers here: http://www.cwcbasraoilgas.com/speaker/

The renowned Conference will address opportunities, projects and tenders in each one of these industries through its 2 day Strategic Programme. Attendees can expect the following topics to be discussed:

  • Current updates on Basra’s oil fields
  • Iraq’s Environment
  • Infrastructure for Upstream Oil & Gas Projects ( Technology Showcasing- upstream activities suppliers, pipelines suppliers, demining technologies, logistics suppliers, security suppliers ) & Training on the New Skillsets
  • Finance, Laws & Regulations & Procurement
  • Water Projects: Increasing Efficiency for the Oil & Gas Projects
  • Electricity Expansion & Renewables for the Oil & Gas Projects
  • Gas & Petrochemicals
  • Energy Tenders Announcements; Downstream, Midstream, Petrochemicals & Electricity projects

View the full programme here: www.cwcbasraoilgas.com/brochure-download/

(Source: CWC)

Posted on

Video: Iraq lures Investors to Boost Oil, Gas Output

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Iraq is hoping to lure international investors to help develop its oil and gas industry.

With victory declared over fighters from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), government ministers are meeting oil executives in Berlin to discuss how to exploit its vast reserves.

Al Jazeera’s Dominic Kane reports from Berlin:

Posted on

Natural Gas Must Be an Asset for Iraq

By Alessandro Bacci.

Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

On February 27-28, 2018, the C.W.C. Group, an energy and infrastructure conference, exhibition and training company, will organize in Berlin, Germany, the twelfth edition of Iraq Petroleum, which is one of the major events concerning Iraq’s oil and gas sector.

One of the main topics of Iraq Petroleum 2018 will be the development of Iraq’s natural gas reserves with the specific goal of strengthening energy-intensive industries to diversify the Iraqi economy.

In Iraq, natural gas might really be the key driver to develop additional industrial sectors. In fact, natural gas may be used for power generation (electricity), petrochemicals, fertilizers, and other heavy industries in which gas is the primary feedstock.

In this regard, some analysts might object that the development of these new industrial sectors would not really change the picture for Iraq because its economic development would still be too linked to the oil and gas sector—in practice Iraq’s economy would continue to be overaffected by the price of oil and gas.

This observation is by no means wrong, but it’s also true that, apart from increasing oil exports (and in this regard, it will be important to see how Iraq will deal in the future with OPEC’s quota restrictions) to improve its economic standing Iraq does not have many alternatives to developing its natural gas resources and then using them to add other industrial sectors to the economy.

Please click here to download the full report.

Alessandro Bacci is an independent energy consultant in relation to business strategy and corporate diplomacy (policy, government, and public affairs). Much of his activity is linked to the MENA region, an area where he lived for four years. Alessandro is now based in London, United Kingdom (www.alessandrobacci.com). A multilingual professional, Alessandro holds a Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws from the University of Florence (Italy), a Master in Public Affairs from Sciences Po (France), and a Master in Public Policy from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (Singapore).