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PUK spokesperson says his party not aware of new gas pipeline
"Neither the PUK nor the KDP are aware of the issue of laying the gas pipeline to Kormor," says Saadi Ahmed Pira.
"It requires the approval of the Kurdistan Regional Government."
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U.S. ambassador to Iraq commends humanitarian response to Gaza crisis
Ambassador Romanowski hails the Iraqi government's shipments of humanitarian aid to Gaza as the U.S. tries to maintain relations with Arab states across the Middle East with many thousands of Palestinian civilians being killed – while supporting Israel in responding to Hamas's atrocities just over a month ago.
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Baghdad courts Kurdistan gas producers
The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) has issued a stark warning to United Arab Emirates-based Dana Gas against transferring natural gas from its fields without express permission, Voice of America reports.
This admonition follows the Iraqi oil ministry's completion of a short, but pivotal, pipeline designed to transport gas from the Khor Mor field in the Kurdistan region to the power plants in the contested province of Kirkuk.
According to VOA, the KRG's Ministry of Natural Resources emphasized the contractual requirement for Dana Gas to secure KRG approval prior to the gas transport. The warning came shortly after the Iraqi central government publicized the new 1,050-meter pipeline's completion on November 6, heralding a move to bolster Kirkuk's power station output.
Iraq Oil Report provides a different angle, highlighting Baghdad's broader strategic move toward purchasing Khor Mor gas directly. It reveals the potential shift in commercial dynamics as the KRG faces financial pressures and falls behind on payment obligations. The Iraqi oil ministry's statement on November 6 underscores the new pipeline's capacity to enhance electricity production, aligning with federal plans to integrate the KRG's gas resources into the national grid.
The autonomous Kurdish region has been independently exporting oil for roughly nine years, despite objections from Baghdad—a practice halted by Turkey following a legal dispute resolution in March, as VOA notes. Yet, the KRG continues to assert it has a role in global energy markets, a stance that may be tested by the Iraqi state's pursuit of a stronger centralized control over energy resources.
As Iraq Oil Report details, the completed pipeline spur, though only one kilometer long, establishes a crucial link between the Khor Mor field and federal infrastructure. The development signals Iraq's anticipation of an agreement with the Pearl consortium—led by Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum—which operates under a contract with the KRG.
A few months back, an industry group for international oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region issued a warning that its members would refuse to resume exports if debts owed by the KRG weren't serviced.
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