INOC will take over ExxonMobil’s operated share in the West Qurna-1
INOC sets the stage for oil uptick
Control for Iraq’s new NOC of one of the country’s biggest oil assets may just be a first step in Baghdad’s strategy
Iraq’s Ministry of Oil announced in early January that Iraqi National Oil Co (INOC) would move to take over ExxonMobil’s operated share in the West Qurna-1 (WQ-1) oilfield. The move may offer insight into the ministry’s intensions for the recently relaunched INOC, which last year assumed the ministry’s umbrella role over seven state-owned regional and sector-specific subsidiaries and has since taken roles in projects throughout the oil and gas supply chain. Although a deal has yet to be finalised, the cabinet has signed off on INOC subsidiary Basra Oil Co (BOC) meeting the US firm’s $350mn valuation to acquire its 32.7pc stake and assume operatorship of the WQ-1 project for the eight remaini
Also in this section
20 March 2025
As cash-strapped Western governments commit to substantially raising defence expenditure, a similar dynamic is playing out in Saudi Arabia’s oil and gas sector, as Saudi Aramco maintains it heavy capex push despite reduced revenues
20 March 2025
Tariffs, sanctions and trade conflicts are upending the oil market, impacting crude differentials and shipping rates and creating uncertainty
20 March 2025
While advanced economies debate peak fossil fuel demand, billions of people still lack access to reliable and affordable energy, especially in the Global South
19 March 2025
Iran’s oil is caught in the crosshairs of support from China and Russia and US maximum pressure, with options becoming more and more limited
