Thread: Archive News - Iraqi Dinar Think Tank - 08/09/09 - 09/01/10

Bayazid Hassan Abdullah: still an ongoing dispute between the House and the prime minister's office and the Ministry of Oil Contracts

A member of the Commission on oil and gas Bayazid Hassan Abdullah from the Kurdistan Alliance "It's still an ongoing dispute between the House and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers on the authority to approve contracts and the Ministry of Oil."

The second round of licenses for investment in and development of oil fields has started on Friday to continue on Saturday.

Abdullah said in connection with the Agency for the independent press (Iba) "The Commission on oil and gas did not want any information on the new round for the licensing of investment and development because we do not have any official did not see anything that takes us back to the oil ministry."

He noted that "the House of Representatives has sent a formal letter to the State Consultative Council in order to determine the approval of contracts takes us so far did not have any answer for them."

The Federal Supreme Court has sent a letter to the House informing him of the court is not empowered to determine the author of the decision to ratify the contracts.

He also stressed that "the ratification of the nothing is law and the House of Representatives is determined by the law stating that the Minister considered that the oil contracts and commercial oil ministry did not need approval of the Council of Representatives."

The House of Representatives questioned Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, in two sessions at the request of a member of the Commission on oil and gas Jaber Habib Jaber on numerous issues, financial and administrative corruption.

http://www.ipairaq.com/index.php?nam...itics&id=18607

Gates says progress still being achieved in Iraq

The U.S. military role remains critical to preserving gains made in Iraq and helping to prevent sectarian violence in the roll-up to Iraq’s national elections, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has said.

Gates was addressing about 300 soldiers and airmen at a town hall session Friday at Forward Operating Base Warrior in Kirkuk, Iraq.

“Whether you are just rotating in, or rotating out, you may have noticed that this theater has largely disappeared from the headlines,” Gates said, calling it the result of tremendous contributions U.S. servicemembers have made.

“That doesn’t mean that this theater is not important,” Gates told the group, a mix of soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division’s 2nd Brigade and 1st Armored Division’s 1st Brigade, and and airmen from the 506th Air Expeditionary Group. “Your mission here is still critical to preserving the gains of recent years.”

Gates noted that Forward Operating Base Warrior, a former Iraqi military facility just west of Kirkuk, stands at a fault line between Iraq's Arab-led central government and the self-ruled Kurdish region in the north. The secretary called this rift “perhaps the most worrisome issue here in Iraq,” and said the military role here will be increasingly important in keeping it in check during and immediately after the March 7 elections.

“Your role here in fostering cooperation here is essential in ensuring a credible election and transfer of power,” he told the group.

Gates emphasized the importance of resolving Arab-Kurd tensions throughout his two-day visit to Iraq, in meetings Thursday with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani (photo) and the Iraqi Presidency Council, and earlier Friday with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. After his visit to Warrior Friday, Gates traveled to Irbil to deliver the same message to Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government President Massaoud Barzani.

Despite concerns, Gates told the troops, he’s impressed by signs of progress during the past 18 months on both sides of the issue. “I think there is no question that the Kurds see their future as part of a unified Iraq,” he said. “What is at issue is the terms on which that goes forward. That is negotiable.”

That progress has accelerated in recent weeks, he said, passing much of the credit to Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, and the U.S. Embassy Baghdad staff, who are promoting dialog between Kurds and central Iraqi government.

Both Barzani and Maliki have asked Odierno for help in brokering a security architecture to resolve the frictions, Army Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, told reporters traveling with Defense Gates during a media roundtable Thursday. That effort, still in the works, aims to “establish an environment where there is trust and confidence and security, to allow a peaceful election and a secure environment for political dialog to continue,” Jacoby said.

“We are working toward that, and we are making progress,” he said. “It is not a done deal yet. But I will tell you the act of interest and trust by those two leaders has led to greater cooperation within the disputed internal boundaries amongst all parties. … Every side is committed to one thing, and that is the security of the Iraqi people.”

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...15025&Itemid=1

High-ranking KRG delegation visits Washington

A high level delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) headed to the United States of America on Friday, December 11, 2009.

The delegation includes Head of Kurdistan Presidency Divan Dr. Fuad Husain, Head of foreign affairs office in Kurdistan Regional Government Mr. Falah Mustafa and the KRG Representative in U.S Mr. Qubad Talabani.

The delegation will hold crucial talks with senior officers in the White House in addition to the defence department and foreign affairs and the U.S Congress about latest political development in Iraq, upcoming Elections, current situation in Kurdistan Region and the bilateral ties between the Region and U.S.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...15032&Itemid=1

US Defense Secretary Gates: US Committed to Long-term Relationship with KRG

Erbil, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani received US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and several other officials from the US Defense Department and the US Embassy in Iraq today.

At the meeting, Secretary Gates opened his remarks by stating that the principle purpose of his visit to Erbil, made at the behest of President Obama, was to reaffirm the US friendship with the KRG and the Kurdish people. Gates acknowledged that Kurdish cooperation is indispensable for the successful implementation of security and strategic framework agreements between the US and Iraq, and essential to securing a unified and peaceful Iraq. He also underscored a message from President Obama and Vice President Biden that the United States is committed to a strategic friendship and partnership with Iraq and the KRG.

The Secretary said that: "We have made 3 commitments:

1. To use our influence to ensure that the outstanding disputes between the KRG and the Iraqi Government, including the Kirkuk dispute and other disputed areas and the sharing of oil revenues, are resolved based on the Iraqi Constitution and Article 140.

2. We will continue with our military efforts with the Peshmerga forces as well as with the Iraqi Army and security forces within the framework of our joint security architecture.

3. We will offer our support and assistance for a census to be conducted in Iraq next year.”

Addressing Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani, Secretary Gates went on to say, "We recognize the concerns that you have about the future of your people and we will help you to ensure a prosperous and peaceful Iraq. We will not abandon you. We believe improved relations with Baghdad will ensure that you achieve your goals in Iraq."

The Secretary also said that during his visit to Iraq, he asked all sides to commit to Iraq's national unity when forming the next government, to avoid maximalist demands, and to show flexibility in their positions and policies. He conveyed a message to all sides to pursue a peaceful resolution to outstanding issues.

At the end of his remarks, Gates extended an official invitation to President Barzani on behalf of President Obama and the US Government to visit Washington.

After welcoming and thanking the US Secretary of Defense for his visit, President Barzani said:

"Your message represents the aspirations of our people, and this is the first time that the US President, Vice President and now you, Mr. Secretary, clearly reaffirm this message to us. Therefore on behalf of the people of Kurdistan and through you to the President and Vice President of the US, I reaffirm to you, and through you, to President Obama and Vice President Biden, that we will never be part of the problem, but continue to be a force for good in Iraq and part of the solution.

“We will do our best for a prosperous and peaceful, federal and democratic, Iraq. As a part of Iraq, we see it as our duty to protect the national unity of Iraq and when there's a problem, the Constitution must be our guide." President Barzani went on to say that there are crucial elections coming up in March and that although the recently adopted election law was not ideal for the Kurdistan Region, when negotiating in democratic politics you cannot have everything your way or ignore the wishes of other parties.

“We believe that American commitments to support us are far more important than one or two more or less seats [in the Iraqi Parliament]. In the Iraqi political process today, no party can single-handedly govern. Therefore, it is necessary to form coalitions with the other parties that believe in peaceful co-existence and democracy.”

President Barzani also emphasized the firm and consistent position of the Kurdistan Region in continuing to be in a joint front with the US in the fight against terrorism and those who are against freedom and democracy in Iraq. He stated, “We will also continue in our efforts to secure a stable Iraq, free from terror.”

Regarding the situation in the Kurdistan Region, President Barzani articulated that the Kurdistan Region will continue to establish its constitutional institutions and put forth all efforts to secure a bright future for the people, and with this aim, to unify the Peshmerga and Security Forces [Regional Guards].

President Barzani happily accepted the formal invitation to visit Washington.

The US Secretary of Defense, after visiting Baghdad and Kirkuk, arrived this afternoon in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region. He was received at the Erbil International Airport by Fuad Hussein, the Chief of Staff for the Kurdistan Region Presidency and Falah Mustafa Bakir, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations.

The meeting was attended by the KRG Ministers for Peshmerga and Interior, Director of the Intelligence and Security Agency Masrour Barzani, and a number of other KRG officials. From the American side it was attended by Ambassador Hill, General Jacoby, and other officials from the Department of Defense and the US Embassy in Baghdad.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...15040&Itemid=1

Iraq strikes deals with Big Oil to ramp up output

Iraq struck deals with several foreign energy giants to nearly triple its oil output in an auction that ended on Saturday, as the country bids to become one of the world's biggest energy producers.

Major agreements were reached with Russian firm Lukoil and Anglo-Dutch company Shell over giant fields during the two-day sale, while contracts were also awarded to China's CNPC and Malaysia's Petronas.

"Iraq's oil production will reach 12 million barrels per day (bpd) within the next six years," Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani told reporters after the auction. "That is the highest production level of the world's oil-producing countries."

Overall, the deals agreed on Friday and Saturday promise to increase Iraq's oil production by more than 4.7 million bpd in the coming seven years.

Combined with agreements reached since a similar auction in June, the country is hoping to raise production to around 12 million bpd in 2017 from about 2.5 million now.

"The question now is, is this realistic," Ruba Husari, the Baghdad-based founder and editor of www.iraqoilforum.com, asked AFP regarding the production targets. "Can they (the companies) deliver?"

The biggest agreement struck during the auction was for the West Qurna-2 oil field, awarded on Saturday to Lukoil, which will work with junior partner StatoilHydro of Norway.

Lukoil and StatoilHydro requested 1.15 dollars for each barrel extracted from the giant field and projected output of 1.8 million bpd.

West Qurna-2, with known reserves of 12.9 billion barrels, lies in southern Iraq to the west of the equally enormous Majnoon field, which was auctioned on Friday to Shell and Petronas.

Shell and Petronas will receive 1.39 dollars per barrel of oil from Majnoon, which has proven reserves of 12.6 billion barrels, and project that they will produce 1.8 million bpd.

CNPC led a group comprising Petronas and France's Total on Friday to secure Halfaya, a southern field with reserves of 4.1 billion barrels. They will receive 1.40 dollars per barrel with estimated output of 535,000 bpd
On Saturday, deals were also reached over the Garraf, Najmah, Qaiyarah and Badra fields.

Angolan firm Sonangol won contracts to develop both Qaiyarah and Najmah, which lie close to each other in the northern province of Nineveh.
Its 12.50 dollar a barrel offer for Qaiyarah had been rejected on Friday as too high. The company lowered the figure to five dollars on Saturday morning and clinched a deal.

Sonangol will produce a combined 230,000 bpd from the two fields.
A joint bid from Petronas and Japan's Japex scooped the Garraf field in southern Iraq, and will lead to additional output of 230,000 bpd at a price of 1.49 dollars a barrel.

And a consortium led by Russian giant Gazprom was awarded a contract to work Badra, near the Iranian border, and produce 170,000 bpd. The group, which includes Petronas, South Korea's KoGas and Turkey's TPAO, will receive 5.50 dollars a barrel.

No bids were received to work the East Baghdad field, or two clusters of fields referred to as Eastern Fields and Middle Furat.

Analysts said companies shied away from East Baghdad and Eastern Fields because they lie in areas of Baghdad and Diyala provinces where violence remains common.

Firms were concerned, meanwhile, that developing Middle Furat, a relatively small cluster, would prove expensive as it lacks infrastructure.
Iraq relies massively on oil sales for its economic growth and government income. It will be hoping the auction, generates positive headlines ahead of a parliamentary election scheduled for March 7.

In a first bid round in June, only one deal was reached because of the perceived low return on investment being offered by Iraq, although two other foreign consortiums have since signed deals with Baghdad.

Ironically, given accusations in some quarters that the United States led the 2003 invasion of Iraq in order to get hold of its oil wealth, only one US firm even participated in the bidding and it came out empty handed.

However, ExxonMobil was the senior partner in a group awarded the West Qurna-1 field last month.

At 115 billion barrels, Iraq has the world's third-largest proven oil reserves, behind only Saudi Arabia and Iran. Oil sales provide 85 percent of government revenues.

The auction comes just days after coordinated bombings struck Baghdad on Tuesday, mostly targeting government ministries, the third such attack since August. Bombers have also repeatedly hit Iraq's oil infrastructure, most recently sabotaging the main export pipeline from northern Iraq to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan in November.

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidAN...%20up%20output

The end of the first phase of the second round of licenses acceptance of offers for Majnoon and Hlvaip refused east of Baghdad, Diyala and Qayyarah

The first phase of the second licensing round, which was held Friday morning, to accept the offers to develop the Majnoon field, won by both Shell and Petronas to develop Missan Halfayah field, which was won by the companies CNBC, Petronas and Total, while rejecting an offer from San Kohl's oil field development Qayyarah, did not make any firm offers to develop the fields east of Baghdad, Diyala, east of Qayyarah.

The second licensing round began Friday morning in the presence of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani and a large number of representatives of international oil companies, which represent 45 different companies from 23 countries seeking to gain a foothold in the Iraqi oil industry in ten fields of oil and gas.

And the ten fields that are contested are the oil fields discovered but not developed, the Majnoon, West Qurna Phase II, Halfayeh, Gharraf, a rump (rump West Morgan), east of Baghdad, the northern part, Badra, Fields Collection Timor (Khashm Red Naoduman , moon, hooks), a field Qayyarah, a star.

Were provided five fields during the first stage are all of the crazy Hlvaip and east of Baghdad, Diyala and Qayyarah, with five fields will be offered again on Saturday, where she won both Shell and Petronas to develop the Majnoon field, holding the oil after the submission of an offer to raise output to 1.8 million barrels per day and for $ one and 39 cents per barrel, on Mtvouktin Total Lucy NBC, after the submission of a ceiling for the product was 1.405 million barrels and the price of dollars and 75 cents.

The coalition won the Shell and Petronas after the submission of this coalition to view the included raising the ceiling of production in oil field crazy to 1.8 million barrels a day at one dollar and 39 cents per barrel, while a rejection of the offer made by the coalition's Total Lucy NBC, after the submission of a ceiling on production reached 1.405 million barrels and the price of dollars and 75 cents.

The coalition won the CNBC, Petronas and Total hold giant field development Halfayah peak production reached 535 thousand barrels at $ 40 cents per barrel, beating three other consortia submitted bids for investment Halfayah field in the province of Maysan.

The Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani win a consortium CNBC, Petronas and Total hold Halfayah field development in the province of Maysan, after the Coalition offer peak throughput of 535 thousand barrels at $ 40 cents per barrel, beating three other consortia submitted bids.

A coalition of business Konsrtom 600 thousand barrels a price of U.S. dollars and 53 cents, while a coalition of business provided or that the GC B and T-Hindi or Turkish offer to develop the field at Halfayah and $ 76 a barrel and peak production of 550 thousand barrels per day, and the latest offer by Eni coalition with other companies, and at a price 12 dollars and 90 cents peak and the production of 400 thousand barrels per day.

As rejection of the contract made by the San Kohl's oil field development Qayyarah because of the lack of acceptance of the company for a price of $ 5 offered by the ministry, and its insistence on a price of $ 12 per barrel.

The company did not submit any bids to develop two of the five were presented during the first round of licensing a second oil field east of Baghdad, which has an output ceiling of 150 thousand barrels per day minimum, which is said by the Minister of Oil Hussein al-Shahristani, during the bidding process, the this field will require the investment of effort and a high potential due to the difficulty of extracting oil from it.

Also played the companies from making any offers to develop the fields east of Diyala province, namely, (Deklp Pat) and (****) and (Alkhcm red) and (Naudman), which has a light with oil and large quantities of gas

http://radionawa.com/Ar/NewsDetailN....099&LinkID=105

Managing Director of Shell: We'll get oil production in the field of crazy to 1.8 million barrels per day

Director of Shell Munir Abu Aziz, on Friday, said his company has experience in the oil investment in Iraq, and it is determined to reach production in the oil field crazy to 1,8 million barrels per day.

He said Munir Abu Aziz told a press conference held by the Ministry of Oil after his victory in a coalition with Petronas holding crazy oil field development, the company is "pleased to reach these results, which resulted from discussions that lasted for a whole year," noting that although "The project is too large However, the work and investment in Iraq is not new to us, we are currently working with the Southern Oil Company to invest the associated gas in Basra."

He said Abu Aziz, said that Shell had "productivity goals in these fields to reach the million and 800 thousand barrels per day, and we will regain the fact that these costs will we sign contracts are contracts of service and not shared."

http://radionawa.com/Ar/NewsDetailN....131&LinkID=105

Iraq to be world's second biggest oil producer
Iraq is on track to outstrip Russia as the world's second-largest oil producer after the award of a giant production contract to Royal Dutch Shell.

Shell and its partner, Petronas of Malaysia, secured access to the Majnoon field in the country's south, which contains an estimated 12.6 billion barrels of oil, more than three times as much crude as is left in the North Sea.

Iraqi oil minister Hussain al-Shahristani said the projected increase in capacity from Majnoon, plus a string of other deals signed with BP, Exxon Mobil and others, had placed Iraq on course to quadruple its current production of 2.5 million barrels a day to 10 million within seven years. That would put Iraq behind neighbouring Saudi Arabia, which produces 12.5 million barrels per day.

"The new Iraq . . . is in grave need of developing its oil industry," Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said at the opening of the auction.

IHS analyst Samuel Ciszuk said raising Iraq's oil production to 10 million barrels within seven years would be a "tough job".
Vast investment in pipelines, power stations and roads was needed.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...15059&Itemid=1

Fairs opportunity for intl. cooperation – Minister

The ceramics fair that was started in Arbil city on Sunday (Dec. 13) aims at achieving cooperation with international communities, said the Kurdistan regional trade minister.

“Circumstances in Kurdistan are suitable for attracting businesses,” Minister Sinan al-Chalabi told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

He said that the Kurdistan economy should be unified with the Iraqi federal economy.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=123498

CBI’s dollar sales stable on Monday

The Central Bank of Iraq’s (CBI) dollar sales went up slightly to $159.175 million in its daily auction on Monday, compared to $158.460 million during the previous session.

“The demand hit $14.900 million in cash, covered at exchange rate of 1,170 Iraqi dinars per dollar, and $144.275 million in foreign transfers outside the country, covered at an exchange rate of 1,173 Iraqi dinars per dollar,” according to a CBI news bulletin received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

None of the 17 banks that participated in today’s session offered to sell dollars.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=123500