Oil production nears pre-war levels, but lost capacity slows full recovery

Iraq's nationwide output reached 4.22 million bpd in September, but some fields are struggling to rebound from damage caused by long shut-ins.

Workers from the state-run Iraqi Drilling Company operate a drilling rig at the Zubair oil field in Basra in October 2026. (Photo credit: IDC)

Energy

Iraq signs Syria crude trucking deal with Qatar’s UCC

Iraq’s Cabinet approves a three-month deal that prices crude as if it were shipped from Basra, extending wartime Gulf shipping discounts to trucked oil in a bid to diversify export routes.

Politics

Deputy PM appointment reshuffles oil sector power structure

Mohsin al-Mandalawi has already led talks with ExxonMobil and the KRG, a signal the Prime Minister's Office could be taking a larger role in strategic energy decision-making.

Security

Insurgency persists as U.S.-led coalition leaves Iraq

IS militants no longer hold territory but still probe for security gaps, while Iraqi officials give contrasting assessments of how the U.S. withdrawal will affect future capacity and stability.

Interviews

Q&A: Ali Shaddad al-Faris, member of the Parliament Oil and Gas Committee

The longtime Basra MP discusses the prospects for a national oil law, a revision to the refinery investment law, and a wave of oil sector corruption arrests.