ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraq is urging Rosneft to come to Baghdad soon to discuss energy agreements like pipelines and exploration in oil-rich Kirkuk’s fields.
“Rosneft is important because it owns 60 percent of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, and we want to use this pipeline,” Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi was quoted by the Atlantic Council as saying following KRG-Iraq meetings at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The Russian majority state-owned oil company is scheduled to come to Iraq in March, but the Atlantic reported Luaibi had said Rosneft should come to Baghdad to meet before then.
Rosneft does not have operations in Kirkuk's oil fields, but it does have facilities elsewhere in the Kurdistan Region, which is also where the Ceyhan pipeline is routed before crossing into Turkey.
The Kurdistan Region's export of oil without Baghdad's permission has been a sticking point in relations.
Those relations reached a low point after Kirkuk came under federal control in October and took control of oil fields in the disputed or Kurdistani areas, claimed by both capitals.
Baghdad did not take Khurmala oil field, which is part of the Kirkuk oil base and was seized by the KRG in 2008. Both Iraq and Kurdistan claim it as their own.
Rosneft and the KRG have enjoyed good relations despite the fallout after the independence referendum and Kirkuk events.
“Rosneft is important because it owns 60 percent of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, and we want to use this pipeline,” Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi was quoted by the Atlantic Council as saying following KRG-Iraq meetings at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The Russian majority state-owned oil company is scheduled to come to Iraq in March, but the Atlantic reported Luaibi had said Rosneft should come to Baghdad to meet before then.
Rosneft does not have operations in Kirkuk's oil fields, but it does have facilities elsewhere in the Kurdistan Region, which is also where the Ceyhan pipeline is routed before crossing into Turkey.
The Kurdistan Region's export of oil without Baghdad's permission has been a sticking point in relations.
Those relations reached a low point after Kirkuk came under federal control in October and took control of oil fields in the disputed or Kurdistani areas, claimed by both capitals.
Baghdad did not take Khurmala oil field, which is part of the Kirkuk oil base and was seized by the KRG in 2008. Both Iraq and Kurdistan claim it as their own.
Rosneft and the KRG have enjoyed good relations despite the fallout after the independence referendum and Kirkuk events.
The Russian company announced in December it will continue developing $400 million worth of projects in the Kurdistan Region, citing high-quality reserves, and valuable terms which benefit their shareholders.
Hours after Kirkuk fell, the UK government asked British Petroleum to begin work at oil fields there.
BP owns 20 percent of Rosneft's stock.
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