ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Norwegian oil and gas operator DNO ASA announced on Thursday that it resumed limited operations at its Tawke license area in the Kurdistan Region’s northwestern province of Duhok after strengthening security measures, including the construction of 2.8 kilometers of concrete barriers to protect personnel and critical infrastructure.
“In Kurdistan, DNO started the year with strong production from its operated Tawke license, where it also brought two newly drilled wells onstream early in the quarter. However, as a safety measure, the Company elected to temporarily halt production and drilling following the launch of U.S.-Israeli air strikes against Iran on 28 February,” the company said in its report covering the first quarter of this year.
“Limited field operations restarted on 9 April 2026, with resumption of workovers of existing wells and relaunch of the previously announced eight-well drilling campaign in preparation for stepped-up rates of production from the Tawke and Peshkabir fields when security and market conditions improve,” the report added.
DNO also said it had installed 2.8 kilometers of concrete barriers around facilities in the Tawke license area following last year’s drone attacks to safeguard employees and infrastructure. Last year, the field came under attacks blamed on Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq.
The report noted that due to the temporary shutdown and continued uncertainty, production and investment levels in Kurdistan for 2026 are expected to be lower than originally planned.
“In Kurdistan, DNO started the year with strong production from its operated Tawke license, where it also brought two newly drilled wells onstream early in the quarter. However, as a safety measure, the Company elected to temporarily halt production and drilling following the launch of U.S.-Israeli air strikes against Iran on 28 February,” the company said in its report covering the first quarter of this year.
“Limited field operations restarted on 9 April 2026, with resumption of workovers of existing wells and relaunch of the previously announced eight-well drilling campaign in preparation for stepped-up rates of production from the Tawke and Peshkabir fields when security and market conditions improve,” the report added.
DNO also said it had installed 2.8 kilometers of concrete barriers around facilities in the Tawke license area following last year’s drone attacks to safeguard employees and infrastructure. Last year, the field came under attacks blamed on Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq.
The report noted that due to the temporary shutdown and continued uncertainty, production and investment levels in Kurdistan for 2026 are expected to be lower than originally planned.
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