International Oil Companies Resume Production in Kurdistan Region After Attack Damage
Peregraf- International oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region have begun restoring production after completing repairs to facilities damaged during recent drone and missile attacks, according to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
In a statement issued Wednesday, KRG spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani announced a timetable for the phased return of major oil operators, signaling a gradual recovery of the region's energy sector after months of disruption.
According to Hawramani, HKN has already resumed production at a rate of 7,000 barrels per day and is scheduled to restart operations at the Atrush oil field on Sunday.
He also said that Gulf Keystone resumed production at the Shaikan field on Wednesday, while DNO is expected to restart operations at the Tawke and Peshkabir fields on Friday. Hunt Oil is scheduled to resume production on July 8.
Hawramani said some companies required additional time to repair infrastructure damaged during the attacks and complete technical preparations before returning to normal operations.
The announcement provides the clearest timeline yet for the return of major international operators and suggests a gradual normalization of activity in the Kurdistan Region's oil sector.
Security Guarantees and Oil Sector Recovery
The return of production comes after weeks of discussions between Erbil, Baghdad, and international energy companies regarding security arrangements for oil fields and energy infrastructure.
On June 21, Iraqi government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi said Baghdad was providing full security guarantees to oil companies operating in Iraq, particularly in the Kurdistan Region, stressing that the resumption of oil production remains closely linked to funding public-sector salaries in the region.
"The Iraqi state provides full guarantees to oil companies operating in Iraq, particularly in the Kurdistan Region, as this is linked to the salaries of the Kurdistan Region's employees," al-Aboudi said.
Air Defense Plans Under Review
A day earlier, Kurdistan Region Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed said the KRG, the federal government, and international oil companies were jointly assessing what type of air defense systems would be needed to protect oil fields from future attacks.
"Oil companies are demanding security guarantees for the protection of the fields and their employees in order to resume production," Ahmed said.
"The oil companies have not left. They have suspended production and are requesting guarantees for their security and the lives of their employees."
Ahmed said discussions were underway with Baghdad and the companies to determine what defense systems would be most appropriate for individual oil fields and facilities.
His remarks followed a visit by a high-level Iraqi military delegation to the Kurdistan Region's oil fields to assess security needs and examine plans for deploying air defense and anti-drone systems.
Earlier this month, Baghdad and Erbil agreed to develop joint security plans aimed at protecting oil companies and energy infrastructure while creating conditions for the resumption of oil production and exports.
Continued Security Concerns
Despite the progress on energy security, Ahmed criticized the implementation of the security agreement signed between Iraq and Iran, arguing that attacks against camps housing Iranian Kurdish opposition groups have continued.
"The security agreement between Iraq and Iran remains only on paper," Ahmed said.
"Unfortunately, several missile and drone attacks have been carried out against the camps."
He said Baghdad and Erbil continue to coordinate with Tehran in an effort to prevent further attacks and improve security conditions in the region.
The gradual return of oil production is expected to provide an important boost to the Kurdistan Region's economy and could help ease financial pressures that have intensified following months of attacks on energy infrastructure and the prolonged suspension of some oil operations.