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Russia’s Gazprom Neft interested in Expanding in Iraq

By John Lee.

Russia’s Gazprom Neft is reported to be interested in expanding its operations in Iraq.

Reuters says boss Alexander Dyukov told the annual general meeting on Friday that the company, which is already developing the Badra oilfield, is also “looking at” the Mansuriyah gas field near the Iranian border.

It says that Iraqi government is expected to launch a tender to develop Mansuriyah later this year. Iraq Business News understands that the field is currently being developed by TPAO (37.5%), Oil Exploration Company (25%), Kuwait Energy (KEC) (22.5%), and Kogas (15%).

(Source: Reuters)

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Lukoil, Oil Minister, discuss prospects for Cooperation

The President of Lukoil, Vagit Alekperov (pictured), has met with Thamir Abbas Ghadhban Al Ghadhban, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil of the Republic of Iraq, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The parties discussed the progress of West Qurna-2 project and agreed to consider the possibility of early commissioning of Eridu field (Block 10). The Minister of Oil of Iraq expressed the support of Lukoil’s initiatives aiming at development of Iraqi projects, fulfilling obligations under the Service Contracts.

The parties have also expressed their interest to consider gas ​processing and petrochemical projects in Iraq.

(Source: Lukoil)

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Rosneft plans Geological Survey in Kurdistan in 2019

By John Lee.

Russia’s Rosneft will reportedly conduct geological exploration in Iraqi Kurdistan this year.

CEO Igor Sechin (pictured) is quoted as telling the annual general meeting:

“The company continues to implement the project to develop fields in Iraqi Kurdistan in the Middle East, where a geological exploration program is scheduled for this year to ensure production in the future.”

He added that pilot production at the Bijeel field began in the first quarter.

(Source: Tass)

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Has Russia begun to Play a Role in Iraq?

By Mustafa Saadoun for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Has Russia begun to play a role in Iraq?

Member of the Iraqi parliament’s Security and Defense Committee Hakim al-Zamili announced May 9 that negotiations were underway to buy an S-400 air missile system from Moscow.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said during his meeting April 26 with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi that “the number of Russian companies in Iraq is on the rise.”

Ihsan al-Shammari, head of the Iraqi Centre for Political Thought, concurred. He told Al-Monitor that “Russia is working to compete with multinational companies in central and southern Iraq, particularly in the field of energy.”

Click here to read the full story.

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West Qurna-2 hits 400,000 bpd

Cumulative production at the West Qurna-2 field has reached 100 million tons of oil as part of successful implementation of Phase 1 of the project.

With 184 wells drilled at the field, the average daily production rate is 400,000 barrels.

Operator Lukoil said in a statement that, to manage the field’s production, it uses “the intelligent field concept which allows to control and adjust where necessary the production indicators in real-time.”

In 2018, the company started Phase 2 of the field’s development which envisages  growth in daily production to 480,000 barrels in 2020 and to a plateau of 800,000 barrels per day in 2025.

In January 2019, the drilling of 28 wells began on well pad #4. As of today, contracts have been signed to drill 57 production wells, including 54 at the Mishrif and 3 at the Yamama formations.

(Source: Lukoil)

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Gazprom Neft expands Oil Production at Sarqala

Russia’s Gazprom Neft has commissioned a third production well at its Sarqala field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI)

Potential production at this new well is estimated at 12,000 barrels per day. Cumulative daily oil production at the field following the commissioning of the Sarqala-3 well has increased by 25 percent reaching 35,000 barrels.

The well runs to a total depth of 3,291 metres, with drilling having been undertaken under the challenging geological conditions of the Sarqala field — anomalously high pressure and reservoir temperature having demanded the use of a selection of 11 technological solutions. The construction of the Sarqala-3 well has, as a result, involved the use of large-diameter casing pipes with ultra-strong thread connections, weighted drilling mud for bottom-hole flushing, and cement incorporating mineral-based and iron-oxide additives.

Drilling the well has involved an international team, with members from 20 countries. The project was implemented by Gazprom Neft Middle East, with technical support from the Gazprom Neft Science and Technology Centre.

Vadim Yakovlev, First Deputy CEO, Gazprom Neft, commented:

“The Middle East remains an area of strategic interest to Gazprom Neft, being a region with a rich resource base, and a demonstrable willingness to allow access to investors. Experience in implementing projects from scratch — both in exploration and production — is important to us. We are continuing to evaluate opportunities for the further development of our business in the Middle East — independently and in partnership with other companies — both using the synergies offered by existing project infrastructure, as well as at other assets.”

(Source: Gazprom Neft)

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Lukoil CEO and Iraqi PM discuss Cooperation

By John Lee.

The President of Lukoil, Vagit Alekperov, has held a meeting with Prime Minister of Iraq Adil Abdul-Mahdi in Baghdad.

The meeting was attended by the Russian Ambassador to Iraq, Maksim Maksimov.

The parties discussed the current status of projects, among them the geological exploration at Eridu field (Block 10) in the south of Iraq.

Mr. Abdul-Mahdi expressed his support for the intention to deliver first production at Eridu field ahead of time.

(Source: Lukoil)

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Successful Appraisal Drilling at Eridu Field in Iraq

Lukoil and Inpex Corporation have successfully completed testing of the fifth well as part of the appraisal phase at the Eridu field (Block 10) in the southern part of Iraq.

The well recorded daily flow rate of more than 1,500 cubic meters of oil from the Mishrif formation and proved the current geological model of the Eridu field as effective.

Lukoil continues geological exploration at Block 10. For instance, in the mid-term the Company plans to drill and test several appraisal wells, complete 3D seismic surveys at the Eridu field and 2D seismic surveys at the block’s southern and central parts.

(Source: Lukoil)

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Lukoil Drills New Production Wells at West Qurna-2

Russian oil company Lukoil has commenced drilling of new production wells at West Qurna-2 field as part of the second development phase.

The company has so far concluded contracts to drill 57 production wells, including 54 wells at Mishrif formation and 3 wells at Yamama formation.

The drilling campaign will ramp up production at West Qurna-2 from the current level of 400 thousand barrels per day to 480 thousand barrels per day in 2020.

To deliver the project Lukoil uses an approach to cluster drilling which envisages erection of two drilling rigs at one well pad.

This approach is new for Iraq and will provide for significant field development speed up and production growth within the shortest time.

Over five hundred Iraqis, residing in proximity to West Qurna-2 field, will be employed for the drilling campaign.

(Source: Lukoil)

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PM receives the Putin’s Special Envoy to MEA

By John Lee.
Prime Minister Adil Abd Al-Mahdi has received the Russian President’s Special Envoy to the Middle East and Africa, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia and his accompanying delegation, Mr. Mikhail Bogdanov, who conveyed the greetings of the Russian President and the Russian Prime Minister to His Excellency, renewing the support of the Russian leadership for the Iraqi government and expressing the desire to develop relations between the two countries in all fields.

His Excellency Prime Minister expressed his pride in the relations between the two countries and peoples, commending Russia’s support for Iraq, confirming Iraq’s keenness to expand relations of cooperation in the economic, investment fields and the development of oil and gas fields.

His Excellency praised the Russian role and its balanced relations, which contribute to strengthening security and stability efforts in the region.

They discussed the holding of the next session of the Iraqi-Russian Joint Governmental Committee and the developments in the region.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Yixi Solomatin, Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yuri Shafranik, President of the Russian Federation of Oil and Gas Producers, Mr. Guse Gochetel, Director General of Soyuz Naft Gas, and Maxime Maximov, Russian Ambassador to Iraq.

Also, the meeting attended by Iraqi Oil Minister Thamer Ghadhban, Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Nizar Al-Khairallah, the Iraqi Ambassador in Moscow Mr. Haider al-Athari, and a number of advisers.

(Source: Media Office of the Prime Minister)