Khor Mor gas field resumes operations after ‘intermittent’ activity amid war: Dana Gas

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region’s strategic Khor Mor gas field has resumed operations, its operator, UAE-based Dana Gas, announced Monday, after running at “intermittent” capacity during the Iran war that saw hundreds of attacks on the Region, including its energy infrastructure.

The operator said in a statement that production has resumed “following a period of intermittent operations in recent weeks.”

Located in Sulaimani province, the Khor Mor gas field is one of the Kurdistan Region’s most important energy facilities, supplying fuel for a large share of the Region’s electricity generation. Dana Gas halted gas supplies to power stations following the escalation of conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel on February 28. The disruption reduced electricity supply from 24 hours to between five and eight hours per day in most areas.

Khor Mor has been targeted repeatedly in the past. In November, the facility came under a drone attack, prompting a temporary suspension of production that slashed the Region’s power generation by nearly 80 percent.

The company said Monday that it “carried out prudent operational procedures” during the war period “in close coordination with government authorities, while prioritising the safety of personnel and assets.”

In March, Kurdistan Region Presidency spokesperson Dilshad Shahab said the suspension of operations at the field was driven primarily by “fear” of drone attacks launched by armed groups inside Iraq rather than “out of fear of war being directed from Iran, America, or Israel.”

The Kurdistan Region was targeted by a total of 703 drones and missiles, killing 17 people and wounding 92 others from February 28 until midday Wednesday, when a two-week ceasefire was announced between Washington and Tehran.

In early March, the Sarsang oil field in Duhok province, operated by US-based HKN Energy, was targeted by two drones, halting production, Karwan Baban, the ministry’s security adviser for oil companies, told Rudaw at the time.

The attacks have largely been attributed to Iran-backed armed groups operating in Iraq, which have repeatedly targeted the Kurdistan Region alongside US interests since the outbreak of the war, despite regional authorities declaring neutrality and insisting the Region will not be used as a launchpad for threats against neighboring countries.