Guest views are now limited to 12 pages. If you get an "Error" message, just sign in! If you need to create an account, click here.

Jump to content
  • CRYPTO REWARDS!

    Full endorsement on this opportunity - but it's limited, so get in while you can!

Iraq-Kurdistan feud rumbles on as Baghdad withholds payment


SocalDinar
 Share

Recommended Posts

Iraq-Kurdistan feud rumbles on as Baghdad withholds payment

Published December 31st, 2012 - 08:56 GMT

Iraq is to refuse payment to the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in a long running dispute over oil rights

Iraq will not pay oil companies operating in Kurdistan because the autonomous region has failed to export the volume of crude it pledged, a spokesman for Hussain Al Shahristani, Iraq’s deputy prime minister for energy, said.

The comments ramp up a standoff between Baghdad and the region, which have been locked in a long-running spat over land and petroleum rights. Tension appeared to ease in September, when Kurdistan and Baghdad struck a deal under which the autonomous region agreed to continue pumping its share of national oil exports in return for payment from the central government.

An export target of 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) has been set. Following that agreement, Baghdad transferred an initial sum of 650 billion Iraqi dinars ($560 million) to the Kurdistan regional government (KRG), but a subsequent payment is now overdue and Kurdish crude exports dropped to around 5,000 bpd.

“The Iraqi side gave them the (initial) sum, but they haven’t supplied the 200,000 bpd,” Faisal Abdullah told Reuters via telephone.

“The government fulfilled its obligations according to the agreement but Kurdistan shirked theirs,” he said.

In recent weeks, oil exports from Kurdistan have slumped from a peak of around 200,000 bpd. The reason for the reduction is not clear, but the region has previously halted exports in protest at Baghdad’s withholding of payments.

Baghdad rejects the deals signed between Kurdistan and oil companies including majors Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Total as illegal and has blacklisted some that have ventured into the northern region.

Kurdistan says its right to grant contracts to foreign oil firms is enshrined in the Iraqi constitution, which was drawn up following the 2003 invasion that ousted Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein. The oil payment dispute is part of a broader debate between Baghdad and Kurdistan over control of oil and territories which is straining Iraq’s uneasy federal union one year after US troops left.

http://www.albawaba.com/business/iraq-kurdistan-oil-460394

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting. Thanks, Socal....darn it, I did see an article this morning (but I didn't copy the link anywhere) stating that the Kurdish region has not "contracted" with any gasoline companies to date. However, I don't know exactly how this applies to the chain of sales (drilling, pumping, processing etc.).

Edited by Alexyn1006
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.