Iraq/Kurdistan: Obliterating ISIS May Hamper Iraqi Oil Production

Apr 5, 2017 | Nick Cunningham, OilPrice.com
View Original

Iraq’s oil production could fall involuntarily if a dispute between the central government and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) continues to escalate. Some of the oil fields around Kirkuk, in northern Iraq, are controlled by the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, while others are controlled by the federal government of Iraq. Back in 2014, when ISIS burst onto the scene, territory was quickly swallowed up by the militant group. Amid the chaos, the Kurds swept in and seized parts of territory in and around Kirkuk as the Iraqi government appeared too weak to defend the city and its oil fields.