Abu Dhabi-listed Dana Gas announced on 13 April that it has restarted production at Iraqi Kurdistan’s 750mn cfd Khor Mor gas field. Khor Mor, which is operated by Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum (each 35%) on behalf of the Pearl Consortium (remaining shareholders: OMV 10%, Mol 10%, RWE 10%), was shut-in after the Middle East conflict started on 28 February (MEES, 6 March). Dana Gas, clarifies that there was “a period of intermittent operations in recent weeks.” The field provides gas to power plants that generate more than 80% of Kurdistan’s electricity, and sources had previously cited improved power provision in the region as an indication that Khor Mor flows had resumed to some extent.
Most foreign operators in Kurdistan remain wary of the security situation, with IOCs demanding security guarantees from the federal and Kurdish governments against drone strikes by Iran-backed militias. Khor Mor has been targeted multiple times in the past, and Dana Gas said that it has carried out “prudent operational procedures throughout this period, in close coordination with government authorities, while prioritizing the safety of personnel and assets.” The restart of Khor Mor operations could encourage oil field operators to resume production and exports. If Kurdistan output is brought back to pre-conflict levels, then Iraqi pipeline oil exports to Turkey could double from their current level of 200,000 b/d. (CONTINUED - 217 WORDS)