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MSF in Iraq annual report 2021

The effects of years of conflict and instability are still felt in Iraq, more evidently in regions that witnessed fighting between the Islamic State (IS) group and the Iraqi-led coalition. In 2021, Iraq continued to be severely affected by COVID-19, with the country experiencing its second and third COVID-19 waves, each recording a higher number of infections and deaths than the one before it.

The pandemic significantly impacted the ongoing recovery of the health system and people’s ability to access healthcare services. Many healthcare facilities across the country suspended their regular programmes to focus on treating COVID-19 patients.

MSF teams continued to provide a wide range of essential medical services and supported the response to health emergencies and health needs caused by the recent war against IS, the consequent displacement and return of millions of people, people’s under-served healthcare needs and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This annual report provides an overview and the highlights of our activities across Iraq during 2021.

Click here to read the full report.

(Source: MSF)

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Genel Energy: Strong Results, but Shares Down

By John Lee.

Shares in Genel Energy were trading down around 5 percent on Tuesday morning, despite significant increases in revenue and profit announceed in its unaudited results for the six months ended 30 June 2022.

Paul Weir, Interim Chief Executive of Genel, said:

“Our cash generation in the first half of the year has been exceptionally strong – driven by our low-cost, high-margin oil production and disciplined capital allocation. We remain focused on the delivery of our long-established strategy of putting capital to work to grow our production and cash generation, while retaining our resilience and paying a material and progressive dividend.

We generated $129 million in free cash flow and are well on track to generate over a quarter of a billion dollars of free cash flow for the full year. This continues to build our balance sheet strength and optionality, providing us with the funds to add the right assets at the right price. Our cash flow this year benefits from the recovery of receivables and our override payments, and we are focused on replacing these by building a portfolio that supports the resilience, sustainability, and progression of our material dividend.“

Results summary ($ million unless stated)

H1 2022 H1 2021 FY 2021
Average Brent oil price ($/bbl) 108 65 71
Production (bopd, working interest) 30,420  32,760 31,710
Revenue 245.6  151.5 334.9
EBITDAX1 212.3  123.1 275.1
  Depreciation and amortisation (84.4)  (81.8) (172.8)
  Impairment of oil and gas assets – – (403.2)
  Reversal of impairment of receivables 12.8 – 24.1
Operating profit / (loss) 140.7 41.3 (276.8)
Cash flow from operating activities 216.3 91.1 228.1
Capital expenditure 74.7 58.2 163.7
Free cash flow2 128.7 22.2 85.9
Cash 412.1 266.4 313.7
Total debt 280.0 280.0 280.0
Net cash / (debt)3 141.3 (2.2) 43.9
Basic EPS (¢ per share) 45.4 9.3 (111.4)
Dividends declared for the period (¢ per share) 6 6 18
  1. EBITDAX is operating profit / (loss) adjusted for the add back of depreciation and amortisation, impairment of property, plant and equipment, impairment of intangible assets and reversal of impairment of receivables
  2. Free cash flow is reconciled on page 8
  3. Reported cash less IFRS debt (page 8)

Summary

  • Material cash generation from low-cost and high-margin oil production:
    • Net production averaged 30,420 bopd in H1 2022 (H1 2021: 32,760 bopd)
    • Low production cost of $4.4/bbl and strength of oil price delivered a margin per barrel of $32/bbl (H1 2021: $20/bbl)
    • Free cash flow of $129 million (H1 2021: $22 million)
  • Financial strength provides options for capital allocation:
    • $75 million of capital expenditure in H1 2022, of which $41 million was spent at Taq Taq and Tawke, and $27 million on Sarta appraisal
    • Genel took on operatorship at Sarta on 1 January 2022, with Sarta-5 and Sarta-1D subsequently being completed
    • Cash of $412 million (31 December 2021: $314 million)
    • Net cash of $141 million (31 December 2021: net cash of $44 million)
  • A socially responsible contributor to the global energy mix:
    • Zero lost time injuries (‘LTI’) and zero tier one loss of primary containment events at Genel and TTOPCO operations
      • Two million work hours since the last LTI, as we seek to repeat the performance of six years without an LTI up to September 2021
    • As we mark 20 years of operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (‘KRI’), the Genel20 Scholars initiative has launched, with Genel funding the opportunity for 20 economically disadvantaged students to have a life-enhancing education at the American University of Kurdistan

Outlook

  • Production guidance for 2022 maintained as around the same level as 2021, currently tracking between 30-31,000 bopd for the full-year
  • 2022 capital expenditure guidance of between $140 million and $180 million tightened to $150 million to $170 million
  • Genel expects free cash flow of over $250 million in 2022, pre dividend payments
  • Appraisal at Sarta is ongoing, with results of the Sarta-6 well expected around the end of the year
  • The Company continues to actively pursue new business opportunities, focused on production and cash generation
  • The London seated international arbitration regarding Genel’s claim for substantial compensation from the KRG following Genel’s termination of the Miran and Bina Bawi PSCs is ongoing
  • Interim dividend retained at 6¢ per share:
    • Ex-dividend date: 15 September 2022
    • Record date: 16 September 2022
    • Payment date: 14 October 2022

Full results here.

(Source: Genel Energy)

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Production at Khor Mor field unaffected by Rocket Attacks

By John Lee.

The Khor Mor field in Kurdistan has again been subjected to rocket attacks.

In a statement to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, operator Dana Gas said:

“Dana Gas (PJSC) informs the market that two small rockets landed within the Khor Mor Block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on the evening of Monday, 25th of July.

“There were no injuries and production operations continue as normal.“

The field was also attacked last month, with two people injured.

(Source: Dana Gas)

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Fitch: Iraq’s Fiscal Outperformance May Not Last

By John Lee.

Fitch Ratings has said that Iraq’s government debt is set to fall steeply as a share of GDP in 2022, bringing it to pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels.

It adds that while this is positive for the sovereign’s creditworthiness, the decline may not be sustainable, as it partly reflects political tensions that have constrained public spending and reflect the high political risk captured in Iraq’s ‘B-‘ rating.

More here.

(Source: Fitch Ratings)

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Barzani Goes to Baghdad: Trouble in Kurdish Oil and Gas

By Douglas A. Ollivant for War on the Rocks. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Barzani Goes to Baghdad: Trouble in the Kurdish Oil and Gas Sector

A recent Federal Supreme Court decision in Iraq has put a legal stake in the heart of Kurdistan’s oil and gas sector – the financial lifeline of the region.

Only one man has the power to fix this. Masoud Barzani – the 75 year-old former president and de facto patriarch of the Kurdistan region – must go to Baghdad and cut a political deal.

Click here to read the full article.

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Three Oilfield Services Companies to Leave Kurdistan

By John Lee.

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil has confirmed reports that three major US-based oilfield services companies have informed the Ministry that they will refrain from entering into new projects Iraqi Kurdistan.

It says that Schlumberger, Baker Hughes and Halliburton have made the commitment to comply with the Federal Supreme Court ruling that oil contracts signed with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are unconstitutional.

The ministry adds that the companies are now in the process of winding up and terminating their existing tenders and contracts in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

(Source: Ministry of Oil)

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The KRG Turns Thirty: The Future of US-Kurdish Relations (Part III)

By James Jeffrey, Matthew Amitrano and Bilal Wahab for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

The KRG Turns Thirty: The Future of U.S.-Kurdish Relations in Iraq

Three experts evaluate the KRG’s oil and gas industry and discuss the growing urgency of resolving its disputes with Baghdad.

Click here to see the full article and video.

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Schlumberger “Withdraws from Iraqi Kurdistan”

By John Lee.

Schlumberger has reportedly announced its withdrawal from Iraqi Kurdistan, as a result of the Federal Supreme Court ruling that oil contracts signed with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are unconstitutional.

Sources told the official Iraqi News Agency that the US-based oilfield services company “sent a letter with an official document to the Iraqi Oil Ministry in its commitment to Federal Court Decision No. 59, which includes not dealing with the Kurdistan region regarding the oil file.“

The news agency adds that a similar decision was taken previously by Baker Hughes.

Schlumberger has been active at several fields in southern Iraq, drilling 37 oil wells in the Al-Zubair field in Basra, drilling 96 horizontal and diagonal oil wells at the West Qurna 1 field, and drilling 40 new wells at Majnoon oilfield.

(Source: Iraqi News Agency)

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The Necessary US Role in Fixing Baghdad-Kurdistan Energy Dispute

By Michael Knights, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

The Necessary U.S. Role in Fixing the Baghdad-Kurdistan Energy Dispute

On February 15, 2022, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court ruled that the 2007 oil and gas law for the Kurdistan Region was unconstitutional, requiring a review of numerous production sharing contracts and oil sales agreements.

If the case prevents oil exports via Iraqi Kurdistan, then the world market will almost immediately lose 500,000 barrels per day, triggering higher oil prices, expanded windfalls for Russia and Iran, the collapse of Iraqi Kurdistan’s economy, and a dangerous turn in Baghdad’s ties with Erbil and with Ankara.

In this timely Policy Note, Iraq expert Michael Knights calls for the United States to act with other concerned states to resolve the Baghdad-Erbil energy crisis. In doing so, he categorizes the sub-issues of FSC implementation on a spectrum from higher to lower consensus, and explains both sides’ views in an unvarnished, direct manner.

A targeted intervention by the United States and its partners, the author argues, could guide the dispute toward a long-overdue resolution that greatly aids U.S. interests and the global effort to find a substitute for Russian and Iranian oil and gas.

Click here to read the full report.

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Dana Gas suspends Khor Mor Expansion after more Attacks

By John Lee.

Dana Gas has said that following the incident on the 22nd of June, two further small rockets landed within the Khor Mor Block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

It says there were no injuries or damage.

In a statement to the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange, the company says that production operations continue as normal, however the work on the KM 250 expansion project has been temporarily suspended while security enhancements are carried out.

It adds:

“The company is closely coordinating with the KRG who along with the Iraqi government have shown strong support.

“As a response to these attacks the KRG has taken all necessary measures to enhance security measures in Khor Mor including the mobilisation of further armed forces to protect the facilities.“

(Source: Dana Gas)

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