US Provides Additional $100m for Iraq Stabilization

U.S. Government to Provide Additional $100 Million for Iraq Stabilization

US Chargé d’Affaires Joey Hood has announced that the United States Government intends to provide an additional $100 million to help stabilize liberated areas once held by the Islamic State.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide the funds to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).  With this $100 million contribution, the U.S. Government will have provided $358 million to stabilization efforts in Iraq since 2015.

The Funding Facility for Stabilization is supported by the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and managed in cooperation with the Government of Iraq.

The United States and the GOI are committed to creating the conditions to allow displaced Iraqis to return to their homes and start to rebuild their lives.  Strengthened with new funding, this stabilization program will restore essential services, such as water, electricity, sewage, health, housing, and education.

In his announcement, the Chargé called on Anbar’s elected officials, tribal sheikhs, and residents to protect the project work sites and ‎do their part to re-integrate back into their communities all displaced Iraqis who wished to return home.

(Source: U.S. Embassy Baghdad)

Sonangol Ramping Up Oil Production in Iraq

By John Lee.

Sonangol has said it plans to increase production at its Najmah and Qayara oilfields to about 230,000 barrels per day (bpd).

The Angolan state oil company owns 75 percent of the oilfields, south of the city of Mosul, with estimated oil reserves of more than 1 billion barrels.

Output at Qayara is currently 40,000 bpd.

(Source: Reuters)

Dana Gas doubles Sales in Iraqi Kurdistan

By John Lee.

Sharjah-based Dana Gas has announces that during Q1 2019, Pearl Petroleum has received $112 million (AED 411mm) from the sale of condensate, LPG and gas in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).

Dana Gas is a 35% shareholder in Pearl Petroleum and accordingly, its share of such receipts by Pearl Petroleum is $39 million (AED 143mm).

This presents a 117% increase compared to the Company’s Q1 2018 share of collections which stood at $18 million. As of today, Pearl Petroleum has no overdue receivables in the KRI.

Dr Patrick Allman-Ward, CEO of Dana Gas, said:

“We have had a very positive start to year in the KRI. Our debottlenecking project which we completed in October 2018 has increased our production output by 30% to 400 MMscf/d. We have begun to see the impact of the additional production on our Q1 collection, which has doubled.”

In February of this year, Pearl Petroleum signed a new 20-year Gas Sales Agreement (GSA) with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to enable production and sales of an additional 250 MMscf/d. The Consortium aims to bring this production on-stream by 2021 as part of their expansion plans to raise output from the current 400 MMscf/day to 650 MMscf/day in 2021, and then to 900 MMscf/day by 2022.

(Source: Dana Gas)

WHO sends Medical Supplies to Missan

WHO sends shipment of kits and medical supplies to Missan governorate

Responding to the needs of the Directorate of Health in Missan following the recent floods that hit the area, the World Health Organisation (WHO), with the generous support of donors, sent a large consignment of emergency kits and medical supplies to support the Directorate, 304 kilometres south east of Baghdad.

WHO and Missan Directorate of Health staff witness firsthand the damage caused by floodingMissan was adversely affected by the floods which were caused by heavy rain and floods from the border with Islamic Republic of Iran. The flood water is covering a wide area of land, which has led to the migration of residents, damage to property, death of livestock and destruction of agricultural crops in many villages and marshlands.

About 328 726 population are at risk. Cities and villages affected are: Ali al-Gharbi, al-Msharrah, Hay al-Mua’alemeen al-Jadeed, al-Salam, al-Faka, al-Btaira, al-Teeb, al-Adil, al-Maymouna, al-Uzair and al-Kahlaa. Areas seriously threatened are villages west of the Tigris River (Hor Al-Musandak) along Ali al-Gharbi, Ali al-Sharqi and Qamit. 545 families are displaced with another 2000 families threatened with displacement.

The Government coordinated multisectoral efforts, supervised and supported relief operations, established 5 camps, and coordinated with Iraqi Army forces and civil defense to send helicopters to evacuate people trapped in flooded areas. With the situation quickly evolving, 101 families in some villages were evacuated to a camp in a neighbouring village.

Adham Ismail, acting WHO Representative in Iraq, said:

In response to the crisis, the WHO country office in Iraq has been coordinating very closely with the Missan Directorate of Health. WHO kept high level coordination and collaboration with the Directorate of Health in Missan through medical operations and specialized services.

“WHO acted promptly in responding to monitoring the floods and receiving regular reports, it assessed water quality and access to clean water and monitored cases of acute diarrhoea. Further, WHO has shared information with the Development Coordination Office at UNAMI and all United Nations partner agencies in Basra, particularly with UNICEF – Water and Sanitation Unit, and supported the Directorate with 30 Basic Interagency Emergency Health Kit and trauma kits to cover a population of 100 000 for one month. WHO will continue its efforts in monitoring the flood and health situation in Missan.

Officials at Missan Directorate of Health stressed that the shipment would save lives in the governorate and could be used by mobile clinics offering emergency health care and services to affected people. They expressed appreciation to WHO and donors for their quick response and support.

The consignment included supplementary module pharmaceutical kits, supplementary module equipment, renewable kits, trauma profile/emergency kits, medical supplies, and basic units (without a malaria component).

(Source: WHO)

WHO sends Medical Supplies to Missan

WHO sends shipment of kits and medical supplies to Missan governorate

Responding to the needs of the Directorate of Health in Missan following the recent floods that hit the area, the World Health Organisation (WHO), with the generous support of donors, sent a large consignment of emergency kits and medical supplies to support the Directorate, 304 kilometres south east of Baghdad.

WHO and Missan Directorate of Health staff witness firsthand the damage caused by floodingMissan was adversely affected by the floods which were caused by heavy rain and floods from the border with Islamic Republic of Iran. The flood water is covering a wide area of land, which has led to the migration of residents, damage to property, death of livestock and destruction of agricultural crops in many villages and marshlands.

About 328 726 population are at risk. Cities and villages affected are: Ali al-Gharbi, al-Msharrah, Hay al-Mua’alemeen al-Jadeed, al-Salam, al-Faka, al-Btaira, al-Teeb, al-Adil, al-Maymouna, al-Uzair and al-Kahlaa. Areas seriously threatened are villages west of the Tigris River (Hor Al-Musandak) along Ali al-Gharbi, Ali al-Sharqi and Qamit. 545 families are displaced with another 2000 families threatened with displacement.

The Government coordinated multisectoral efforts, supervised and supported relief operations, established 5 camps, and coordinated with Iraqi Army forces and civil defense to send helicopters to evacuate people trapped in flooded areas. With the situation quickly evolving, 101 families in some villages were evacuated to a camp in a neighbouring village.

Adham Ismail, acting WHO Representative in Iraq, said:

In response to the crisis, the WHO country office in Iraq has been coordinating very closely with the Missan Directorate of Health. WHO kept high level coordination and collaboration with the Directorate of Health in Missan through medical operations and specialized services.

“WHO acted promptly in responding to monitoring the floods and receiving regular reports, it assessed water quality and access to clean water and monitored cases of acute diarrhoea. Further, WHO has shared information with the Development Coordination Office at UNAMI and all United Nations partner agencies in Basra, particularly with UNICEF – Water and Sanitation Unit, and supported the Directorate with 30 Basic Interagency Emergency Health Kit and trauma kits to cover a population of 100 000 for one month. WHO will continue its efforts in monitoring the flood and health situation in Missan.

Officials at Missan Directorate of Health stressed that the shipment would save lives in the governorate and could be used by mobile clinics offering emergency health care and services to affected people. They expressed appreciation to WHO and donors for their quick response and support.

The consignment included supplementary module pharmaceutical kits, supplementary module equipment, renewable kits, trauma profile/emergency kits, medical supplies, and basic units (without a malaria component).

(Source: WHO)

KRG Details 167 Humanitarian Projects

By John Lee.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has issued a report on its “Priority Humanitarian Small Scale Projects: In Health, Education, Municipality, Electricity, Social Care, Agriculture and Livelihoods and Water Sectors Kurdistan Region-Iraq 2019“.

The document presents a detailed breakdown of a total 167 priority humanitarian Small Scale Projects (SMPs) for 2019.

The focus is therefore on small-scale projects with the cost per project ranging from USD 28,000 to 1.2 million.

Download the full 39-page report here.

(Source: KRG)

KRG Details 167 Humanitarian Projects

By John Lee.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has issued a report on its “Priority Humanitarian Small Scale Projects: In Health, Education, Municipality, Electricity, Social Care, Agriculture and Livelihoods and Water Sectors Kurdistan Region-Iraq 2019“.

The document presents a detailed breakdown of a total 167 priority humanitarian Small Scale Projects (SMPs) for 2019.

The focus is therefore on small-scale projects with the cost per project ranging from USD 28,000 to 1.2 million.

Download the full 39-page report here.

(Source: KRG)

IBBC holds 9th Annual Spring Conference

The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) held its annual Spring Conference at the Mansion House in London on 10 April, hosting officials from the UK and Iraqi Governments and delegates from the major companies operating in Iraq covering all sectors of the economy.

The conference was entitled ‘Iraq – Financing a Modern Economy’ and was organised in conjunction with the Central Bank of Iraq and the Iraq Private Banks League. H.E. Dr Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance lead a high level delegation of Government officials alongside Dr Mehdi Al Alak, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Mr Abbas Imran Mousa, DG Technical Department, Ministry of Transport, Dr Falah Al-Amiri, Councillor for Oil & Gas supplies to the Iraqi Minister of Oil,  officials from the Central Bank of Iraq, a delegation from the Union of Private Banks and the Governors of Erbil and Sulamania.

Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, President of IBBC and the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan & Kazakhstan opened the conference alongside Alderman Sir William Russell, H.E. Dr Fuad Hussein, The Rt. Hon. Alistair Burt MP, Graham Stuart MP, Minister for Investment, Department for International Trade and Jon Wilks CMG, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Iraq.

Dr Mehdi Al Alak presented a paper on ‘Private Sector Development and Investment in Iraq‘. Delegates received an exclusive insight into the Government’s planned measures and strategies to realise this ambition.

The event marked the 10th anniversary of the Iraq Britain Business Council and special awards were presented to Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne and Eng. Rasmi Al Jabri, Deputy Chairman of IBBC as a token of gratitude for their contribution to the organisation over the last decade.

Dr Renad Mansour of Chatham House, produced a paper on ‘The present situation in Iraq’ which was commissioned especially for the IBBC conference.

Conference Sessions & Speakers

The Banking Sector in Iraq

Chairman: Gavin Wishart, Consultant

Panellists: Dr Mazen Sabeh Ahmed, Central Bank of Iraq; Mohammed Delaimy, Standard Chartered Bank; UK Export Finance (UKEF); Ali Tariq Mostaf, Iraq Private Banking League; Richard Wilkins, JP Morgan

Stock Market & Investment Opportunities

Chairman: John Kemkers, Eversheds Sutherland

Panellists: Shwan Ibrahim Taha, Iraqi Stock Exchange; Dr Alaa Abdel Hussein Al Saadi, Iraqi Securities Commission; Abdulla al Qadi, Crescent Petroleum

Keynote Address: Dr Mehdi Al Alak, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers

Oil & Gas

Chairman: Prof. Frank Gunter, Lehigh University

Panellists: Dr Mark Wharton, Shell; Lawrence Coleman, BP; Bob Dastmalchi, Chevron

Capacity Building in Iraq

Chairman: Ambassador Stuart Jones, Bechtel

Panellists: Dr Renad Mansour, Chatham House; Prof. Mohammed Al-Uzri, University of Leicester; Samer Al Mafraji, AMS Iraq

The IBBC is especially grateful to the sponsors of the event: Shell, the International Islamic Bank, Standard Chartered, Rolls-Royce and Eversheds Sutherland.

Our Partners, Speakers & Contributors

(Source: IBBC)

New Oil Well Enters Production at Taq Taq

By John Lee.

Share in Genel Energy closed Thursday up 2.75% after the company announced an update on activity at the Taq Taq field (Genel 44% working interest), as testing of the TT-20z well has now been completed.

In a statement, the company said the well has entered production at an initial rate of 2,000 bopd with a 24/64″ choke, and this figure is expected to rise. With the inclusion of this production, gross production from the Taq Taq field is currently c.15,500 bopd, with Genel’s overall net production now c.39,000 bopd.

The well flowed oil from all three zones tested, with a maximum combined flow rate of c.4,000 bopd with a 40/64″ choke.

The statement added:

“The well is further proof of the remaining potential on the flanks of Taq Taq field. With Taq Taq wells an attractive capital allocation option, the rig has moved to drill the TT-33 well, on the southern flank of the field. The well was spudded on 25 March, and is expected to take 90 days to complete.”

(Source: Genel Energy)