Baghdad makes oil deal with the KRG
The agreement reached in early December still faces many obstacles, writes Kirk Sowell
Adel Abd al-Mahdi became Iraq's new oil minister on 8 September when parliament approved prime minister Hayder al-Abadi's government. Abd al-Mahdi, who has been both finance minister (2005-06) and vice-president (2006-10 and 2010-2011), belongs to the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), a party known for its staunch Shia Islamism. Yet Abd al-Mahdi has a reputation for political pragmatism and personal affability, making him broadly acceptable for sensitive posts. Abd al-Madhi hit the ground running, visiting the besieged oil refinery in Baiji, Salah al-Din his first day on the job. He also visited Basra in an effort to smooth over complaints about neglect. His boldest move, though, came
Also in this section
20 February 2026
The country is pushing to increase production and expand key projects despite challenges including OPEC+ discipline and the limitations of its export infrastructure
20 February 2026
Europe has transformed into a global LNG demand powerhouse over the last few years, with the fuel continuing to play a key role in safeguarding the continent’s energy security, Carsten Poppinga, chief commercial officer at Uniper, tells Petroleum Economist
20 February 2026
Sempra Infrastructure’s vice president for marketing and commercial development, Carlos de la Vega, outlines progress across the company’s US Gulf Coast and Mexico Pacific Coast LNG portfolio, including construction at Port Arthur LNG, continued strong performance at Cameron LNG and development of ECA LNG
19 February 2026
US LNG exporter Cheniere Energy has grown its business rapidly since exporting its first cargo a decade ago. But Chief Commercial Officer Anatol Feygin tells Petroleum Economist that, as in the past, the company’s future expansion plans are anchored by high levels of contracted offtake, supporting predictable returns on investment
