Video: Can Iraq Rebuild its Economy?

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

Iraq is looking to strengthen its economy after decades of war, sanctions, sectarian division and the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS).

It has achieved some progress in recent years thanks to its oil industry; Iraq is the second-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and oil provides roughly 85 percent of the government’s revenue.

As the country enters a period of relative calm, Iraq’s oil minister, Thamer Ghadhban, says the government is working to expand its oil industries and improve infrastructure, which includes building more refineries and investing in southern gas fields and export routes.

Iraq’s Energy Sector: Roadmap to a Brighter Future

Iraq, one of the world’s biggest energy producers, can address its current electricity shortfall and growing power needs through immediate action to relieve pressure on the system, according to an in-depth report published Thursday by the International Energy Agency.

It also provides a medium-term strategy that makes the best use of the country’s abundant oil and natural gas resources and solar potential.

Despite the extraordinary challenges of war in recent years, Iraq has made impressive gains, nearly doubling the country’s oil production over the past decade. But the turmoil has also undermined the country’s ability to maintain and invest in its power infrastructure.

The new IEA report, Iraq’s Energy Sector: A Roadmap to a Brighter Future, maps out immediate practical actions and medium-term measures to tackle the most pressing problems in Iraq’s electricity sector.

The analysis finds Iraq has huge potential to cut its electricity network losses, which are among the highest in the world. Reducing these losses by half would help dramatically improve the efficiency of grid supply, effectively increasing available capacity by one-third.

The report also takes a detailed look at the country’s oil and gas sector. It projects that Iraq’s oil production will grow by 1.3 million barrels a day by 2030, accounting for the third-largest increase globally over the period, and soon becoming the world’s fourth-largest oil producer behind the United States, Saudi Arabia and Russia.

The report also notes that more gas can be captured and put to use in efficient power plants. Today, 16 billion cubic meters of gas are flared each year, more than enough to replace Iraq’s current imports.

Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s Executive Director met, with Iraqi President Barham Salih on Wednesday in Baghdad, and presented the study’s findings and recommendations. He then met with Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi to discuss ways forward for the electricity sector, including making best use of Iraq’s significant natural gas and solar resources.

On Thursday, Dr Birol will discuss the report at a press conference with Thamir Ghadhban, the Deputy Prime Minister for Energy and Minister of Oil, and Luay Al-Khatteeb, the Minister of Electricity.

The IEA has worked closely with the Iraqi Ministries of Oil and Electricity to produce the report, and would like to thank the ministers and their staff for their cooperation with this study.

“Operating under extremely challenging circumstances, Iraq has done a remarkable job expanding its oil industry,” said Dr Birol. “Today’s urgent issue is to address the national power sector as the summer heatwave approaches by improving grid maintenance, boosting electricity production with larger mobile generators, and incentivising upgrades of power plants. The IEA is pleased to recommend immediate practical actions for the benefit of the entire Iraqi people, and provide a roadmap for a sustainable power system in the medium term.”

Iraq’s electricity demand is set to double between now and 2030, and its shortfall in electricity supply will widen, as the country’s population grows by more than 1 million people each year.

Without changes to the current structure of electricity supply and improvements to the network, domestic generation, imports and neighbourhood generation would need to double by 2030, for a total supply of over 250 TWh. However, there are many opportunities to improve on this outcome through measures such as investing in transmission and distribution to cut network losses.

Promoting the more efficient use of electricity, including by introducing more progressive tariffs, would play an important role in ensuring that the growth in demand during the summer peak does not continue to outpace supply.

Iraq also needs to take advantage of its abundant renewable energy potential.  The analysis shows that expanding the share of solar PV and wind to 30% of electricity supply by 2030 would bring benefits both to the Iraqi consumer, in the form of reduced electricity bills, and to the environment.

Reducing network losses and moving towards an electricity mix where renewables play a more prominent role would free up 9 billion cubic meters of gas for other uses in 2030, plus 450 kb/d of oil for export.

“In addition to oil, Iraq is blessed with some of the richest solar and gas resources in the world but it is yet to take advantage of them,” Dr Birol said. “Turning that potential into fuel for its own economy and for export would help bring about a more sustainable, reliable and affordable energy future.”

The report is the second in-depth study of Iraq’s energy sector following the publication of the Iraq Energy Outlook in 2012.

Download the report here.

(Source: IEA)

Iraq “becomes Energy Investment Hotspot”

By John Lee.

According to Miriam Malek, writing for S&P Global Platts, Iraq is again becoming a viable destination for energy investment after the final defeat of Islamic State and the election of a new government revived interest in the region’s second-largest oil producer.

The US, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iran are now vying for a share in the spoils.

Click here to read the full article.

(Source: S&P Global Platts)

Chinese Firm to recover Gas at Halfaya

By John Lee.

The China Petroleum Engineering and Construction Corporation (CPECC) has been awarded a contract to recover natural gas from the Halfaya oilfield.

Planned production is put at 300 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, according to a statement from Iraq’s Ministry of Oil.

(Source: Ministry of Oil)

Oil Production to Increase at Gharaf

By John Lee.

Japex is reportedly planning to increase production at the Gharaf oil field from around 90,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) currently to 230,000 bpd by the end of 2020.

S&P Global Platts quotes Japex director Michiro Yamashita as saying that the company has allocated capital expenditure of $460 million for the project in fiscal 2019-20 (April-March).

(Source: S&P Global Platts)

Al-Burhan Group – Your Route to Iraq

By Padraig O’Hannelly.

Building a successful business means delivering what you promise.

When I recently needed to go to Baghdad at short notice, I remembered a conversation I had with Abir Burhan, Operations Director of Al-Burhan Group: “Any time you want to go to Iraq,” he said, “we can take care of your visa, flights, accommodation and security – just give me a call.”

So I did, and a few days later I was on a plane from London Gatwick to Baghdad with Iraqi Airways, booked via IKB Travel; conveniently, a direct flight, which saves the time and trouble of getting a connecting flight somewhere else.

Staying at the Al-Burhan Centre, just minutes from the terminal building at Baghdad International Airport, was also very convenient, and probably the most secure location in Baghdad, situated as it is within the heavily guarded airport complex.

While in Iraq, I (and my family!) also needed to know that I’d be safe when travelling about in the capital; Gethin Wilson, Operations Manager at Al-Burhan Security, and his highly professional team, ensured that I was always where I needed to be, on time and in total safety.

But it’s not just about convenience and security. The success of the Al-Burhan Centre owes as much to the friendliness and hospitality of its people as it does to their efficiency and professionalism.

These factors are even more important for those staying long-term. Many of the guests at the Al-Burhan Centre are ex-pats, staying on rotations that can last weeks or months at a time, so it’s important not only that that they feel safe, but also that they are well catered for and enjoy their time at the centre.

George Mansour and his staff really understand that excellent food and a comfortable and friendly environment are essential for well-being, morale and productivity. And despite all the good food, there’s no excuse for putting on weight, as the centre even has two gyms to help work off the calories.

The al-Burhan family have created a real home from home, and take seriously the sign in their office: “Only promise what you can deliver.





Iraq “close to signing” $53bn deal with Exxon, PetroChina

By John Lee.

At its regular meeting in Baghdad on Tuesday, the Iraqi Cabinet received a briefing on negotiations led by Iraq’s Ministry of Oil with ExxonMobil and PetroChina on the Southern Iraq Integrated Project.

In a statement, the government describes the project as “a mega energy and infrastructure scheme consisting of building oil pipelines, storage facilities and a seawater supply project to inject water from the Gulf into reservoirs to increase oil production and Iraq’s export capacity.”

According to Reuters, Iraq is close to signing the $53-billion, 30-year agreement, from which it expects to make $400 billion over the life of the project.

It quotes the Prime Minister as saying that it will involve increasing production at the Nahr Bin Umar and Artawi oilfields from around 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) now to 500,000 bpd.

(Sources: Iraqi Cabinet, Reuters)

Peshkabir has generated $1bn, 4x Total Spend

DNO, as operator of the Tawke field in Iraqi Kurdistan, has today issued an update on licence activity.

Gross production from the Tawke licence, containing the Tawke and Peshkabir fields, averaged 126,759 bopd during the first quarter of 2019.

Tawke production currently averages c.73,000 bopd, and Peshkabir c.54,000 bopd. There is an active 2019 drilling campaign underway at the Tawke and Peshkabir fields, with a total of up to four Peshkabir wells and up to 14 Tawke wells.

The Peshkabir-9 well was completed and placed on production during the first quarter. The Peshkabir-10 well was spud in February and will come onstream shortly. The Peshkabir-11 well will spud later this month. Peshkabir production averaged 53,830 bopd during the first quarter.

Peshkabir has now generated $1 billion in gross revenue, or four times the total spend to date.

At the Tawke field, the Tawke-52 Cretaceous well was completed and placed on production during the quarter. The Tawke-54 Cretaceous well was spud in February and came onstream in mid-April, and the Tawke-55 Cretaceous well spud in April. Tawke field production averaged 72,929 bopd during the first quarter.

(Source: Genel Energy)

DNO to spend $250m in Kurdistan this year

DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today reported USD 35 million in first quarter 2019 operating revenues from its newly acquired North Sea assets, bringing the total quarterly figure across the portfolio to USD 204 million.

The Company generated a net profit of USD 51 million and exited the quarter with a cash balance of USD 254 million plus USD 109 million in treasury shares and marketable securities.

Company Working Interest (CWI) production averaged 107,600 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) during the first quarter, up 36 percent from 79,100 boepd in the first quarter of 2018. Kurdistan contributed 89,400 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and the North Sea contributed 18,200 boepd.

Operated Kurdistan production from the Tawke and Peshkabir fields averaged 126,800 bopd during the quarter, up from 109,400 in the first quarter of 2018.

The Company plans to more than double capital and exploration expenditures to USD 440 million this year, up from USD 200 million last year. Planned 2019 expenditure in Kurdistan is USD 250 million and USD 190 million in the North Sea.

DNO has launched an active drilling program of up to 36 wells across the portfolio, representing the highest number of wells in the Company’s 48-year history.

DNO’s Executive Chairman, Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani (pictured), said:

“With our recent acquisition, DNO has transformed into a more balanced company. We continue to generate significant cash from ultra-low cost, short-cycle, highly prolific fields in Kurdistan but now with a strong, second leg in the North Sea.”

(Source: DNO)

Pearl Petroleum to Raise Funding for Kurdistan Investment

By John Lee.

Pearl Petroleum is reportedly planning to raise additional funding for its drilling and development in Iraqi Kurdistan,

According to Reuters, Patrick Allman-Ward, the chief executive of Dana Gas, which is the majority owner of Pearl Petroleum, told reporters that the funding will “comprise a mix of bank debt, a bond, Exim bank financing as well as contractor and vendor financing.

The company is developing that Khor Mor and Chemchemal gas fields in Iraqi Kurdistan.

(Source: Reuters)