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ERBIL — The United States has reiterated its support for a long-term and uninterrupted oil export arrangement involving the Kurdistan Region, the federal government, and Iraq’s national marketer SOMO, as senior officials from both sides reaffirmed the strategic importance of ongoing cooperation.

The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Natural Resources said acting minister Kamal Mohammed Salih met on Tuesday in Erbil with US Chargé d’Affaires in Baghdad Joshua Harris and US Consul General Wendy Green.

During the discussion, American officials emphasized that Kurdish oil exports remain a matter of “strategic importance” for US policy and must be safeguarded from political or technical disruptions.

US representatives welcomed recent steps taken to restore exports and increase production following months of suspended flows. They also expressed support for resolving outstanding technical issues and the financial entitlements of international companies operating in the region — a central topic in Baghdad-Erbil negotiations.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/900044

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/877526/us-envoy-washington-seeks-long-term-energy-agreements-with-kurdistan-region

Iraq’s State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) released its October export figures on Tuesday, including the Kurdistan Region, which resumed exports on September 27 through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline after a two-year halt, averaging 188,221 barrels per day and totaling 5,834,864 barrels for the month.

https://x.com/zoomnewskrd/status/1993362935201095726

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Michael Rigas is set to inaugurate the new US Consulate General in Erbil during an upcoming Middle East tour, the US State Department announced on Tuesday.

The top official will visit Turkey, Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and Israel between November 27 and December 5, the State Department announced in a press release.

"In Iraq, the Deputy Secretary will meet with Iraqi officials, tour US diplomatic facilities, and inaugurate the new Consulate General in Erbil," it continued.

"Deputy Secretary Rigas’s travel underscores the United States’ commitment to advancing stability, security, religious freedom, and prosperity across the region."

The new US Consulate General is set to become Washington's largest consulate in the world. In May, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani toured the $800-million complex with then-Consul General Steven Bitner.

https://thenewregion.com/posts/3762

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq pocketed more than $7 billion in oil revenues for the month of October, with exports amounting to nearly 111 million barrels, the oil ministry announced on Tuesday.

“Exports of crude oil, including condensates, amounted to 110,923,047 barrels, generating revenues exceeding $7,030,689,000,” the ministry said in a statement.

Exports from the Kurdistan Region through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline reached 5,834,864 barrels, according to the ministry, while an additional 272,077 barrels were sold to Jordan, according to the ministry.

https://thenewregion.com/posts/3759

The United States has called on political leaders in both Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region to accelerate efforts to form their new governments following Iraq’s parliamentary elections, according to a State Department official speaking to Channel8.

In a written response to Channel8, the official said Washington “encourages leaders in both the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and federal Iraq to quickly form their respective governments,” emphasizing that a timely transition is essential for stability.

https://channel8.com/english/news/49103

The Russian consulate in Erbil has visited the KRG natural resources minister to discuss the KRG oil pipeline amid US sanctions on Rosneft, which until recently owned 60% of the pipeline.

To shield it from sanctions, Rosneft recently cut its ownership stake to 49%, just below the 50% threshold, selling an 11% stake to UAE-based DEX Capital.

With KAR Group holding 40%, that means KAR and DEX now jointly own 51%, with Rosneft retaining the remaining 49%.

https://x.com/KurdistanWatch/status/1993243766602309810

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region’s political parties, represented in Baghdad, have a real opportunity to secure full implementation of Iraq’s constitution as talks to form a new government have begun to take shape following the recent parliamentary elections, a former US diplomat and renowned author told Rudaw. He further emphasized that the Kurds’ conditions are both clear and achievable.

Peter Galbraith, former US ambassador and ex-advisor to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, noted that “the federal government is going to need” the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) “to form a government.”

If the Kurdish parties stick to their demands, “they have a good chance of success,” he added.

Galbraith told Rudaw that Iraq’s constitution has not been fully implemented because Arab parties “agreed to something, but did not want to keep their part of the bargain.” He added that the Kurdish demands are reasonable and achievable, noting, “They [Kurdish parties] can do both of those things very quickly.”

He further emphasized that Iraq’s constitution is clear on federalism, granting regions significant autonomy, including the ability to amend or cancel federal laws, maintain their own president, parliament, and military, and develop oil fields.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/20112025

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – U.S. sanctions targeting major Russian oil companies have disrupted roughly nine percent of Iraq’s total oil production, according to a senior Iraqi lawmaker, raising concerns over stability in the country’s largest southern fields. The Kurdistan Region, however, is expected to remain unaffected.

Sabah Subhi, a member of the Oil and Gas Committee in Iraq’s fifth parliamentary session, told Kurdistan24 that the measures—part of Washington’s expanding pressure campaign on Moscow—have directly impacted operations at the West Qurna-2 field, which produces about 450,000 barrels per day and depends heavily on Russian involvement.

Subhi warned that production disruptions at West Qurna-2 pose a risk to Iraq’s national revenue, as the federal government relies heavily on oil income. He said Baghdad plans to maintain output by transitioning operations to a local company and quickly identifying a replacement for the current sanctioned operator.

Subhi emphasized that the Kurdistan Region will not be impacted by sanctions because Russian companies hold less than 50 percent share of the region’s oil sector—placing their operations outside the scope of U.S. restrictions.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/876584/us-sanctions-on-russian-oil-firms-disrupt-iraqs-output-while-kurdistan-region-remains-unaffected

The Kurdistan Region now delivers 200,000 to 250,000 barrels of oil to the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) daily, with the amount gradually increasing, Hamdi Shengali, SOMO’s deputy CEO, told Zoom News. Following over two years of deadlock, the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline resumed on September 27.

https://x.com/zoomnewskrd/status/1991460150918496548

US oil giant Exxon Mobil is considering buying a stake in Russia's Lukoil in the West Qurna 2 oil field in Iraq, Reuters reported.

The field is one of Lukoil's most important projects outside Russia.

Exxon Mobil had previously operated the West Qurna 1 field, but sold its stake in

The Russian company has previously announced plans to sell some of its shares and projects outside Russia after US sanctions were imposed last month to put pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine and reduce revenues.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Sudani met with Lukoil CEO Vagit Alekperov on Monday to discuss Lukoil's operations in Iraq after US sanctions.

https://x.com/swisher1776/status/1991368522551665064

When warnings abound about an imminent collapse in oil prices, one would not expect the CEO of a major oil company to boast that he has never been more confident.

Yet that was precisely the message conveyed in Chevron's (CVX.N), opens new tab updated strategy, unveiled by CEO Mike Wirth on Wednesday. He shrugged off concerns about oversupply in the near term and exuded confidence in the sector’s long-term outlook, brushing aside doubts that hovered over the industry only a few years ago as momentum built for the transition away from fossil fuels toward low-carbon energy

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/confident-chevron-brushes-off-oversupply-energy-transition-fears-2025-11-13/

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Former Iraqi Prime Minister and head of the State of Law Coalition Nouri al-Maliki is set to visit Erbil on Thursday to discuss the formation of the next federal cabinet with Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani.

The New Region has learned that Maliki will seek Barzani’s take on what the Kurds’ requests are for the next cabinet.

No party won enough seats to earn a parliamentary majority, with inter-party negotiations to form the next Iraqi cabinet being essential as a result.

https://thenewregion.com/posts/3706

The KRG prime minister said the latest Baghdad–Erbil arrangements allowing limited oil exports to resume are temporary measures.

He emphasized that the KRG intends to re-export oil independently once a legal framework is finalized.

Barzani urged Baghdad to draw lessons from the prolonged suspension of KRG oil exports, which halted nearly a year of revenue from the Iraq–Turkey pipeline.

I hope Iraq has learned from the suspension of Kurdistan’s oil. We all suffered. Iraq lost billions of dollars, and we were never compensated.

Barzani stressed that a federal oil and gas law remains the only sustainable solution to prevent recurring disputes between Baghdad and Erbil.

“OPEC looks at Iraq as one unit and has never separated Kurdistan’s output,” Barzani said. “The Kurdistan Region has never produced more than its share.”

Barzani said the Kurdistan Region’s population-based entitlement within Iraq’s total production amounts to roughly 12% to 14%.

With Iraq producing about 5 million barrels per day, a 12% share would equal 600,000 to 700,000 bpd.

“We produced only 300,000 to 350,000 barrels of oil per day,” he added.

https://channel8.com/english/news/48843

ERBIL — Iraq’s Ministry of Oil said on Tuesday that Baghdad and Ankara have held a new round of talks in Ankara aimed at reaching a fresh agreement to resume crude exports through the Iraq–Turkey pipeline.

According to the statement, discussions focused on the draft framework of a new pipeline agreement and explored mechanisms to strengthen bilateral cooperation on energy projects.

Both sides described the talks as “constructive,” saying they achieved an initial understanding that could pave the way for a comprehensive deal reinforcing strategic partnership and ensuring uninterrupted oil transportation.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/899514

https://channel8.com/english/news/48802

David Tafuri of the US-Kurdistan Business Council says the US is encouraging investment in Kurdistan, focusing on energy, tech, and agriculture. His comments align with President Barzani's push for US partnership at the post-election MEPS forum.

Regarding economic relations, Tafuri revealed the new US administration's efforts in Washington to promote investment. "They are trying to encourage more American companies to invest in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, and they also support the negotiations between Erbil and Baghdad," he said.

Tafuri also detailed specific areas of interest for American firms. "We have had discussions with American companies working in the energy sector, as well as companies in the fields of technology, infrastructure, and agriculture, which are interested in investing in Kurdistan," he stated, adding that "this will lead to the creation of job opportunities in the future."

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/876148/us-companies-want-to-work-in-kurdistan-says-david-tafuri

Hamdi Shingali, Deputy Director of Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO), stated that the Kurdistan Region has fulfilled its obligations toward Baghdad and complied with the agreements, as the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) announced it would send non-oil revenues to Baghdad.

Today, the KRG Finance Ministry announced that the Kurdish Region will transfer 120 billion dinars of non-oil revenues to Baghdad as the share of the Federal Treasury for September.

The ministry said that cash will be deposited into the bank account of the federal Ministry of Finance tomorrow.

Additionally, Prime Minister al-Sudani reaffirmed that the salaries of the Kurdistan Region for this year will be paid in accordance with the terms of the agreements between both sides.

https://channel8.com/english/news/48780

DUHOK, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The next chapter of relations between the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is one of “many shared opportunities,” and there are “no political problems” between the two sides, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani said on Tuesday.

“There are many projects. We must abandon the term ‘outstanding issues’ and set our aim on shared opportunities,” Sudani said during a special conversation at the sixth Middle East Peace and Security (MEPS) Forum in Duhok.

Sudani further asserted that “significant progress” has been made to resolve issues between Baghdad and Erbil.

“We have made significant progress in overcoming many inherited problems between Baghdad and Erbil, including company contracts and the resumption of oil exports,” he said.

Sudani further hailed the Iraqi parliamentary elections as "very successful," saying the result accurately reflected the ambitions of Iraqi society.

“There is a readiness from all political parties to adhere to constitutional deadlines to form Iraq’s next government,” the prime minister asserted.

https://thenewregion.com/posts/3689

Legal experts say Iraq’s new parliament faces more than 250 pending laws, including 125 ready for a vote. They call for urgent action on the oil and gas law and the Federal Supreme Court law, warning that long delays and political disputes have stalled essential legislation affecting governance, rights, and Baghdad-Erbil relations.

He said the most prominent is the Federal Oil and Gas Law, which has remained unlegislated since 2007. Passing the law, he explained, would regulate the relationship between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region, establish a federal oil council responsible for contracting with companies and determining fees, end the salary dispute between the federal and regional governments, and address all related matters.

Kurdish officials have repeatedly called for the passage of an oil and gas law to regulate the country’s natural resources in a legal manner and prevent them from being tangled in political disputes between Baghdad and Erbil.

https://thenewregion.com/posts/3680

The Iraqi government is working to change the structure of its oil contracts and present a new model to American companies, aiming to attract larger and more diverse investment in the country’s oil sector.

Ali Nizar Fayeq Al-Shatari, Director General of Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO), announced that they are confident major U.S. oil companies will accept this new model. He explained that the contracts will not be limited to operations in a single oil field, but instead will cover production across Iraq as a whole.

The government’s plan is to give companies the opportunity to implement integrated projects, from exploration and extraction to production and export. This approach is expected to contribute to broader economic and infrastructure development in Iraq.

https://channel8.com/english/news/48674

A well-informed source from the Iraq Council of Ministers on Friday told The New Region that Sudani will arrive in the Kurdistan Region’s capital on Monday for meetings with the Kurdish premier and other top officials regarding outstanding Erbil-Baghdad issues.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has repeatedly stated that Erbil demands its full share of the federal budget from Baghdad come 2026.

https://thenewregion.com/posts/3653