Letter from Iraq: Oil sector needs drastic reform
While its regional neighbours reap the rewards of oil and gas success, Iraq’s hydrocarbons sector is lagging behind
Iraq’s oil sector has been suffering from mismanagement since 2003, with major capital-intensive projects failing to deliver results. Over a decade ago, the future envisioned for Iraq’s energy sector was very different. In 2012, Iraq cooperated with the World Bank in preparing the Integrated National Energy Strategy, which was intended to cover 2013–30, and with the IEA in putting together a special report on the country’s energy prospects. One of the most important results of these two activities was that Iraqi authorities became convinced of the need to seriously reconsider previously contracted production targets and to amend existing contracts. The official call for a review of licensing
Also in this section
9 January 2026
The Latin American producer’s crude prospects rely on a multi-pronged approach where even the relatively easy wins will take considerable time, effort and cost
9 January 2026
While many forecasters are reasserting the importance of oil and gas, petrostates should be under no illusion things are changing, and faster than they might think
8 January 2026
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
8 January 2026
The next five years will be critical for the North Sea, and it will be policy not geology that will decide the basin’s future






