Kurdistan Oil & Gas Development

[Sinjar]

You see it came all over the news.

2 millions by 2014? That's very ambitious. I remember Q. Talabani said that 2 millions bbl/day would be in 2019..

By the way the reserves which is estimated to be 45 billions is without the fields in Kerkuk right?

[alan131210]

You see it came all over the news.

2 millions by 2014? That's very ambitious. I remember Q. Talabani said that 2 millions bbl/day would be in 2019..

By the way the reserves which is estimated to be 45 billions is without the fields in Kerkuk right?

his estimate was without these pipelines that are now under construction connecting kurdistan directly to turkey and bypassing the iraqi pipelines .

yes without kirkuk , kirkuk does not much left now (10 billion when discovered) baba field has been pumping for 80 years , baba field well no1 dried up 3 months ago . the other 2 fields stretch into KRG (khurmor in Erbil and Avana in Makhmour).

[Sinjar]

his estimate was without these pipelines that are now under construction connecting kurdistan directly to turkey and bypassing the iraqi pipelines .

yes without kirkuk , kirkuk does not much left now (10 billion when discovered) baba field has been pumping for 80 years , baba field well no1 dried up 3 months ago . the other 2 fields stretch into KRG (khurmor in Erbil and Avana in Makhmour).

True the pipelines plan has changed a lot.

No there is about 8.7 billions of remaining reserves but of course the oil in KRG is virgin fields with much more potential. Kirkuk has all the oil facilities ready and already produces 500k bbl/day though. Do you know if the mentioned fields are included in the plan?

[alan131210]

True the pipelines plan has changed a lot.

No there is about 8.7 billions of remaining reserves but of course the oil in KRG is virgin fields with much more potential. Kirkuk has all the oil facilities ready and already produces 500k bbl/day though. Do you know if the mentioned fields are included in the plan?

8.7 billion barrels left for baba field ? link pls.

the oil fields are taq taq , tawke and sheikhan .

[alan131210]

The Conference of the energy within his work for the second day in Arbil, Turkey to work to secure and protect the oil pipeline passing their lands and make the necessary to ensure stability and security in the region in order to secure a safe route for the arrival of oil and natural gas to Europe from the Kurdistan Region.

The International Energy Conference, which began its work on Sunday in Arbil, Attended by Barzani President of Kurdistan Regional Government and Taner Yildiz and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey, Ambassador Medhat Balcan the head of the Steam and the representative of the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the representative of the Department of Energy Federal and a number of university professors and representatives of a number of Turkish companies specialized in the field of oil and natural energy and European representatives.

It was Monday, the second day of the conference, held several meetings to discuss possibilities of the Kurdistan Region in the field of energy and natural wealth and the ability of Turkey to satisfy the needs of Europe, including natural resources and natural gas in particular.

It was brought to the conferences the light on the security situation established order in the region, calling it a catalyst well to increase production, calling on Turkey to work to secure and protect the oil pipeline through its territory and ensure the conduct of safe access for oil and natural gas to Europe from the Kurdistan Region, stressing the potential of the region in the field of natural gas as the best alternative Russia to secure natural gas to Europe.

This was launched on Sunday, under the title (from Arbil to the world) of the first conference of energy between the Kurdistan Region, Iraq and Turkey, and is scheduled to issue decisions in the conference final communiqué to be announced this evening.

PUKmedia

[Sinjar]

Kirkuk’s oil reserves were estimated at 25 billion barrels, Salih says, and so far approximately 15 billion barrels have been extracted.

http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurds/4607.html (2012)

The northern Kirkuk field, first discovered in 1927, forms the basis for northern Iraqi Oil production. Kirkuk, with an estimated 8.7 billion barrels of remaining reserves

http://www.oilgasarticles.com/articles/ ... Page1.html (from 2006 though)

[alan131210]

ShaMaran oil is a Canadian company since its first operation in Kurdistan has found 4 oil fields , they are Pulkhana , 3arbat , K42 and Atrush fields , they are almost near completion and the company is preparing to dig more fields in a new future.

[alan131210]

8.7 billion is what is estimated in GKP Sheikhan fields alone, so far 3 billion found !

The Kirkuk field comprises three main structures: Khurmala, Baba and Avana.

but i think they are talking about all 3 oil structures , not baba . baba alone is tiny , the rest of the structure (Khurmala and avana) lies in KRG , one is not even developed , the other is developed (Khurmala) and has been pumping for local demands and is connected to Khabat refinery since 2007.

Khurmala Dome Begins Providing Fuel for Kurdistan
http://www.gulfoilandgas.com/webpro1/MA ... sp?id=8585

this photo shows WHERE the fields are




and even with the baba field , both the governorate of Kirkuk and the KRG must also be present with the federal government in any discussions and agree over the Baba structure’s development. since kirkuk is a Kurdish historically not an IRAQI one (thanks to the britis and fench , NOT) .

[alan131210]

ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan: The newly contracted director of Iraqi Kurdistan’s Shekhan oil field says it is set to become the largest oil field in the whole of Iraq, and the minister of natural resources says the semi-autonomous region has massive natural gas reserves, which could supply the needs of the projected Nabucco pipeline for at least 100 years.

“[The Shekhan] oil field is expected to have around 1.9 to 7.4 billion barrels of oil,” said Tod Cozel, managing director of Gulf Keystone Petroleum, a company from the United Kingdom, which has won the contract for oil production at the Shekhan field.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has now signed a total of 41 oil and gas production contracts with 42 foreign companies from 17 countries, and has begun to promote Kurdistan’s oil industry to the international market through a two-volume publication entitled “The Oil and Gas Year.”

The second volume was launched on March 3rd at a ceremony at the Rotana Hotel in the region’s capital, Erbil, attended by Kurdistan’s prime minister. At the ceremony, Mehmet Sepil, owner of Genel Enerji, which has been working in oil extraction and production in Kurdistan since 2002, was awarded the Person of the Year title by the KRG. His company now works in various Iraqi Kurdistan oil fields, including the Taq Taq field near Kirkuk.

The new publication evaluates the last 12 months’ activities in Kurdistan’s oil and gas industry, and includes an interview with Iraqi Kurdistan’s minister of natural resources, Ashty Hawrami, in which he talks about the importance of the oil and gas industry for Kurdistan’s economy.

“This industry…provides thousands of jobs for people in Kurdistan. We have built two refineries so far, and the third is under construction,” says Hawrami in the interview.

The book lists the 42 foreign companies that have signed oil and gas contracts with the KRG, and the line-up includes some big international names, such as ExxonMobil , Canadian firm Aspect Energy, Murphy Oil Corporation, Turkey’s Genel Enerji, Norway’s DNO, and Gulf Keystone Petroleum.

Among other facts, the publication states that oil reserves in Iraqi Kurdistan are estimated at 45 billion barrels, and that, since 2003, 49 new oil wells have been dug within the Kurdistan region, including Tawke, Taq Taq, Baziyan, Shekhan, Sarseng, Bardarash, Miran, Chamchamal, and Akre.

Sepil was recognized as Person of the Year due to his outstanding achievements in the field, which include his company being given the tenders for six oil production projects in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Interviewed in the publication, Sepil says it is expected that the combined oil production of Iraq Kurdistan’s Tawke and Taq Taq fields will reach 170,000 barrels per day (bpd) by the end of this year, although his company is eventually aiming for each field to reach 100,000 bpd.

Sepil also confirmed that his company was working on installing an oil pipeline to Kurdistan’s border, which would serve as an alternative to the Kirkuk pipelines, as this would increase Kurdistan’s oil exportation, and he called on the KRG to assist with the completion of this project as soon as possible.

In the publication, Ahmed Saeed, director of Forbes Energy Group, praises the suitability of Kurdistan’s land for the oil industry.

“Geologically in Kurdistan, there are fewer threats compared to in other countries, and when the political situation stabilizes in Kurdistan, the market for natural resource industries will flourish as well,” says Saeed.

In addition, the natural resources minister states that Iraqi Kurdistan is ready to supply the unfinished Nabucco pipeline with gas for the long term.

“According to the estimates of the government and some other parties, Kurdistan has about 106 to 212 trillion cubic meters of gas,” says Hawrami in the publication. “As we all know, it is planned that the Nabucco pipeline will import gas from the Caucasus and Central Asia to Europe, and it will require 31 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year. If we have [only] 106 trillion cubic meters of natural gas in Kurdistan, then we can supply Nabucco with natural gas for 100 years.”

Rudaw

[kirkuk1]

Yes correct, Baba field is under North Iraq oil company , while the rest are located in Kurdistan and Iraq has 0 authority over them .

The Baba gur gur field is old and needs developing but it seems Kurdistan is not letting it happen since it is Peshmerga that controls the province not the Iraqi army , so they cant do what all they want , let them steal the remaining oil in this field till it dries up then they can pack up and back off to Baghdad.

[alan131210]

May 21, 2012

BAGHDAD,— The central government of Iraq warned the Kurdish-ruled semi-autonomous Kurdistan region that it must obtain Baghdad’s approval for any oil export deals signed with Turkey.

On Sunday, Iraqi Kurdistan unveiled an agreement to sell oil through Turkey into the international markets, thereby leaving Baghdad completely out of the loop. The Kurdish oil minister Ashti Hawrami said Iraqi Kurdistan will construct a huge 1 million barrel per day pipeline over the next 12 months through which oil and gas will be carried through Turkey.

"We envisage the building of a new pipeline taking Kurdistan’s oil, particularly the heavier component part to Cihan," Hawrami said at a conference with Taner Yildez, the Turkish energy minister.

Baghdad believes such an arrangement contravenes Iraqi laws, while Kurds assert they can sign any contract regarding their natural resources according to the terms of the constitution.

Since 2003, the Kurds have entered into dozens of gas and oil deals, all of which have been classified as “illegal” by the authorities in Baghdad, who have also blacklisted the companies involved, including Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM), from doing business in Iraq’s southern oilfields.

"We have no problem with any deals, but they have to be according to the Iraqi constitution and laws that govern relations between Baghdad and the Kurdish region," said Ali al-Moussawi,www.ekurd.net an adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Earlier this, the Kurds and the central Iraqi government entered into a deal under which Kurdistan would transport its oil to Baghdad, which would then sell it on the international market (with each side taking half of the revenue). However, in April, the Kurds cancelled this agreement, citing a payment dispute with Baghdad.

But Hawrami insisted that there is no distinction between Kurdish oil and Iraq oil.

"When we say oil from Kurdistan, it’s Iraqi oil," Hawrami said.

"There is no difference between Iraqi oil or Basra oil from Kurdistan."

A pact between Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey was inevitable.

"If you look at Turkey, which is the second-fastest growing country in the world, its gas needs which increase significantly every year and then the price of oil, I think people realize that Turkey is looking to Iraq -- particularly the Kurdish regional government -- very carefully because of economics, not because of politics," Mehmet Sepil, chairman of Turkey’s Genel Energy, told al-Jazeera.

Iraq is now Turkey’s second biggest trade partner, although most of that trade is with the Kurdish region.

According to the Kurdish government, there are about 143 billion barrels of proven oil reserves in the south of Iraq, while the northern (Kurdish) semi-autonomous region has about 45 billion barrels,.

Meanwhile, any deals with Turkey will likely worsen already tense relations between Ankara and Baghdad.

Maliki of Baghdad was also outraged recently when Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Tariq al-Hashemi, the Iraqi vice president who had been issued an arrest warrant by Baghdad for allegedly forming death squads. Hashemi has since escaped to Iraqi Kurdistan for refuge.

ibtimes.com

[alan131210]

here we go again , didnt ExxonMobil deal teach them a lesson !??

[alan131210]

the guy is trying to save his ass too after realizing maliki is standing on a shaky chair

Shahrestani suspends order to stop petrol export to Kurdistan

22/05/2012 10:22

BAGHDAD, May 22 (AKnews)- Deputy PM for Energy Affairs Hussein al-Shahrestani has temporarily annulled the order to suspend petrol exports to the Kurdistan Region after he met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Iraqi Ministry of Oil decided yesterday to suspend petrol export to Kurdistan without specifying any reason.

Upon a request from Talabani, the deputy PM decided to suspend Ministry's order for only one month, said Shahrestani's spokesperson Faysal Abdullah.

Kurdistan depends on exported petrol from Iraqi provinces to meet its petrol demand.

Oil and its derivations have always been a major source of tensions between Baghdad and Erbil officials.

Baghdad labels Kurdistan oil contracts "illegal" while Kurdish officials maintain the investments are carried out according to the constitution and the revenues will go nowhere but an Iraqi government account.

Under a political agreement Baghdad has undertaken to reimburse the investing oil companies in the region. Suspending the dues of such companies for more than 10 months pushed the Kurdistan Ministry of Oil suspend all its oil exports (175,000 barrels per day) in early May.

The decision led to a political crisis, with incriminations of oil smuggling to Israel exchanged between Erbil and Baghdad officials.

At the sidelines of a press conference yesterday in Erbil Kurdistan Natural Resources Minister Ashti Hawrami said that Kurdistan is trying to connect to the international Ceyhan Pipelines.

Hawrami added the first phase of the project is expected to be done by early October.

The oil and gas bill which the Iraqi House of Representatives has failed to ratify in years will indicate the party who will control the oil reserves of Iraq, the fourth largest oil reserve country in the world. Kurdish MP's objection to the bill pushed the Iraqi House of Representatives to return the bill to the Council of Ministers for amendments.

AKnews

[burnsss]

Well it seems like everything is going according the plan In a recent rudaw article DR Ashti Hawrami says no pay no take. He also blasted the dictators in bagdad for placing kurdistan under embargo by not letting fuel reach the region. My analysis is that bagdad is becoming desperate and have no card left to play. Will they attack by military means? Barking like a dog doesnt pay off anymore.

[diako_ber]

Especially the last part is interesting

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region -- Kurdistan’s announcement on Sunday that it was planning to increase its energy trade with Turkey has added fuel to the region’s longstanding dispute with Baghdad over who controls Iraq’s oil.

The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) energy minister, Dr. Ashti Hawrami unveiled the plans at a two-day industry conference that brought together prominent government officials from Turkey and the Kurdish Region. The proposal is to build an oil pipeline to take Kurdish crude directly into Turkey, bypassing areas controlled by the central government.

Baghdad threatened to veto the project and said Monday that the KRG was not allowed to sign energy contracts without the central government’s approval. Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, also hit back at Turkey, calling it a “hostile state.”

Hawrami, however, said that the KRG “will not compromise” until “the dictators in Baghdad” fulfill their obligations as laid out in the Iraqi constitution and remove their current “embargo.” The central government is required to share 17% of all oil revenue with the region and pay the costs of energy companies engaged in exploration projects in Kurdistan, obligations that the KRG says Baghdad has not fulfilled.

“We will not wait for our people to starve,” Hawrami added. “We will export if necessary.”

The presence of Turkish energy minister Taner Yildiz at the conference was highly symbolic, Hawrami said in its closing session, noting that if Turkey and Kurdistan can cooperate despite their previous political differences, the Kurdish and Iraqi governments should be able to resolve their internal dispute. Economic cooperation, he stressed, can help pave the way to resolving political differences.

Minister Yildiz meanwhile, said that his country does not intend to interfere in Iraq's internal disputes, but stressed the need to develop the country's natural resources.

"People here need oil products such as gas and fuel," he said. "This is an important issue. The private sector has signed an agreement to provide oil products to this place. We are talking about a need that has to be fulfilled."

A first stage of the project will carry crude from the Taq Taq oil field just south of Erbil and should be completed by October of this year, Dr. Hawrami told the From Erbil to the World industry conference.

The second stage is scheduled to connect the pipeline to the existing Kirkuk-Ceyhan line, which has a capacity of 1 million barrels per day and which is currently not operating to full capacity.

Plans for a separate pipeline carrying crude to refineries in the Turkish port of Ceyhan by 2014 are also in the works, Hawrami said.

The KRG will also be sending tankers of Kurdish crude oil to Turkey to be refined and returned to Kurdistan. Currently the region depends on refineries in Southern and Central Iraq so this move also signifies greater autonomy for Kurdistan.