meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Iraq’s energy sector steadily expands

15 May 2023

MEED's latest coverage on Iraq's energy projects market includes:

> PIPELINE STOPPAGE: Turkiye yet to respond to Iraqi oil request
> CHEMICALS: Iraq continues technical studies for $8bn chemical project
> UPSTREAM DEVELOPERS: No place like Iraq for international oil firms
> OIL TRAINS: Key Iraq oil project units arriving in third quarter
> GAS: Iraq gas project on track for commissioning this year
> INVESTMENT: Total deal could lead to project boom in Iraq
> RUMAILA FIELD: BP and PetroChina prepare to award Iraq oil contract

 

Iraq's oil and gas projects market has steadily expanded over recent months, with the total value of the country's active oil, gas and chemical projects rising by nine per cent since the start of 2020.

As of 2 May 2023, Iraq’s active oil, gas and chemical projects were worth an estimated $143.9bn, up from $132.2bn on 7 January 2020, according to data collected by the regional project-tracking service MEED Projects.

Over the period, in nominal terms, the country’s energy project market expanded by $11.7bn, which is far larger than some of its regional competitors, but also lagging behind some key markets that are continuing to see a dramatic expansion in project activity.

In terms of energy project market expansion, Iraq has outperformed countries such as Algeria, Kuwait and Libya.

Countries that have performed far better than Iraq include Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Over the period, energy project activity has surged in Saudi Arabia, which overtook Iraq to become the region’s largest market for hydrocarbon projects in mid-2022.

Since the start of January 2020, the total value of Saudi Arabia’s active oil, gas and chemical projects has increased by $61.3bn, rising from $112.7bn to $174.1bn.

Over the same period, the total value of Egypt’s active oil, gas and chemical projects sector has expanded by $46.6bn, according to MEED Projects, rising to $136.1bn.

Nations such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt have made ground on Iraq in terms of the size of their energy project markets, partly by taking advantage of Europe’s efforts to shift away from Russian energy imports.

They are also investing in hydrocarbon and chemical technologies that will likely see increased demand during the ongoing global energy transition, such as upstream gas production, the production of the precursors to plastics, and ammonia production.

Political uncertainty

While Iraq has seen its energy projects market steadily expand, it has missed out on the dramatic growth seen in Saudi Arabia and Egypt due to a range of factors.

A key factor that has hobbled Iraq’s expansion over recent years has been political instability and an inability to make critical policy decisions regarding the country’s economy.

In 2022, the caretaker government failed to pass a budget amid political wrangling. The interim parliament, which had limited access to funds, passed a $17bn emergency package called the Food Security and Development Bill, but was not mandated to make important decisions about major projects.

Multi-year budget

From a political perspective, there is reason to be more optimistic about Iraq’s ability to make future investment decisions due to the finalisation of a three-year budget law in March this year.

A draft budget of ID197.82tn ($152.17bn) was announced for 2023, with an agreed operational expenditure of ID150.27tn ($115.59bn), and an investment expenditure of ID47.55tn ($36.58bn).

The budget is drafted to allow it to be repeated in 2024 and 2025. It is the first time an Iraqi government has drafted a multi-year budget, having typically passed one-year budgets.

Ahead of the budget agreement, Iraq made a string of major project announcements. These include plans to revive the $8bn Nebras petrochemicals complex in Basra.

The multi-year budget should also allow for more strategic projects to pass over the coming months, allowing Iraq to adapt to changing market conditions, including the global energy transition and shifting dynamics in Europe and Asia.

Iraq has already signalled that it is looking to modernise its downstream oil sector, improving the complexity of existing refineries and building new facilities.

Gas projects

In terms of gas sector projects, progress will likely be made on existing projects to capture gas from oil fields that would otherwise be flared. More projects of this type could be announced shortly.

Iraq and its international partners are likely to prioritise these projects because they provide increased gas supplies and new revenue streams and have a positive environmental impact.

Iraq-Turkiye tensions

Although the political outlook is improved by the increased certainty regarding annual budgets, the country’s energy projects market could experience growing disruption over the coming months due to tensions between Iraq’s federal government, the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) and the government of Turkiye.

At the end of March, in the wake of a ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration last month, the oil export pipeline that extends from the north of Iraq to the Turkish port of Ceyhan was shut down.

The pipeline is a key export route for Iraq. When operating normally, it transports 400,000 barrels a day (b/d) from Iraqi Kurdistan and 70,000 b/d from the rest of Iraq.

On 4 April in Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani and the Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, signed a temporary agreement designed to restart oil exports from the north of the country.

Despite this, after more than a month, oil exports via the pipeline are yet to resume.

The lengthy stoppage and lack of clarity over when exports will recommence have cast a shadow across Iraq’s oil sector, forcing oil fields in the north of the country to seal wells and stop production and putting the future of planned upstream projects in doubt.

While there remains a cause for concern regarding political stability in Iraq, the fundamentals for the country’s oil and gas sector remain sound.

Iraq's state-owned oil companies and their international partners have shown in the past that they can negotiate difficult political and security situations, and the country will likely be able to continue to steadily grow its energy projects market over the months to follow.

MEED's June 2023 special report on Iraq includes:

> GOVERNMENT: Sudani makes fitful progress as Iraq's premier
> ECONOMY: Iraq hits the spend button
> POWER: Iraq power projects make headway
> UPSTREAM DEVELOPERS: No place like Iraq for international oil firms
> CHEMICALS: Iraq continues technical studies for $8bn chemical project
> SOLAR: Total continues 1GW Iraq solar talks
> TRANSPORT: Baghdad approves funds for metro and airport projects

 

 

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/10825124/main.gif
Wil Crisp

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Egypt approves plans for 869MW wind power plant

    22 June 2026

    Egypt’s Cabinet has approved plans for French renewable energy developer Voltalia to develop an 869MW wind power project.

    The scheme will be built on land allocated by the New & Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), according to a statement posted by the Cabinet following its most recent weekly meeting.

    Voltalia will make an initial investment of $53m and has committed to achieving commercial operations by December 2028.

    Voltalia already operates the 32MW Ra solar plant at the Benban solar complex in Aswan and is expanding its renewable energy portfolio in Egypt.

    Previously, in 2024, it signed a framework agreement with Egypt’s Taqa Arabia to develop a green hydrogen and renewable power cluster near the Ain Sokhna port in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

    The green hydrogen development is planned in two phases, each centred on a 500MW electrolyser powered by more than 1.3GW of renewable generation capacity. The project, still in its early stages, is expected to produce up to 350,000 tonnes of green ammonia a year.

    Voltalia’s partnership with Taqa Arabia also includes plans for a 3.2GW hybrid wind and solar project to repower the existing 545MW Zafarana wind farm in Suez Governorate. The Cabinet statement did not indicate whether the newly approved 869MW wind project forms part of that proposal.

    Meanwhile, the developer won another contract, earlier this year, to develop a 132MW solar power project in Tunisia’s Gabes region.

    The project, known as Wadi, marked Voltalia’s third major solar award in the country after the Sagdoud and Menzel Habib projects awarded in 2024.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17376730/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Local firm signs Jeddah drainage contracts

    22 June 2026

    Local contractor Alkhorayef Water & Power Technologies (AWPT) has announced it has signed two contracts with Jeddah Municipality to operate and maintain stormwater and surface water drainage networks across the city.

    The contracts have a combined value of SR202.06m ($53.9m), and each will run for five years.

    The first contract, valued at SR108.46m ($28.9m), covers the operation and cleaning of stormwater and surface water networks in the South and Al-Malisa sub-municipalities.

    The second contract, worth SR93.59m ($25m), covers similar services for the Airport Sub-Municipality.

    In March, MEED reported that the firm had won a long-term contract to carry out work in the airport’s sub-municipality area. The agreement was signed on 16 June.

    Elsewhere, construction has yet to begin on phases one and two of the King Abdullah Road-Falasteen Road tunnel project, each valued at about $175m.

    According to sources, Jeddah Municipality selected Saudi contractor Thrustboring Construction Company to build the large-diameter stormwater drainage tunnels in 2025. However, an official agreement has yet to be signed.

    The municipality was also previously planning to rehabilitate the existing Al-Zahra pumping station. Prequalification for the project began in 2020; however, it is understood that the main contact tender was cancelled last year.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17376097/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Saudi firm signs Uzbekistan water treatment PPP

    22 June 2026

    Saudi-listed Miahona has signed a public-private partnership agreement to enhance, operate and maintain Uzbekistan’s Zomin water treatment plant in the country’s Jizzakh region.

    The agreement was signed on 18 June with Uzsuvtaminot, the country’s state-owned water utility, the developer said in a filing with the Saudi stock exchange.

    Miahona will carry out enhancement works and 25 years of operation and maintenance services for the existing plant, which has a design treatment capacity of 50,000 cubic metres a day

    The contract marks the company’s entry into Uzbekistan’s water sector. According to the disclosure, it will enter into force once a project-related governmental decree is issued in accordance with Uzbekistan’s applicable legislation.

    The contract is estimated at $105m (SR395m), with a final value to be confirmed following the issuance of the governmental decree.

    MEED reported earlier this month that Uzbekistan had stepped up its engagement with Middle Eastern investors, including holding talks with Saudi Arabia’s Acwa and Vision Invest on renewable energy, water management, waste recycling, digital infrastructure and urban utility projects.

    The government also recently held discussions with a UAE delegation led by Suhail Mohamed Al-Mazrouei, minister of energy and infrastructure and chairman of Etihad Water & Electricity’s Board of Directors.

    At the Tashkent International Investment Forum, it signed a €197m financing package with Germany’s KfW Development Bank to support drinking water supply and wastewater projects in the Surkhandarya and Fergana regions.

    The projects will cover Termez and several district centres in Surkhandarya region, as well as Kokand and Margilan in Fergana region.

    This includes “the construction and reconstruction of hundreds of kilometres of drinking water and wastewater networks, pumping stations and modern wastewater treatment facilities”, deputy prime minister Jamshid Khodjaev said.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17375811/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Qiddiya seeks contractors for indoor arena project

    22 June 2026

     

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Saudi Arabian gigaproject developer Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) has invited contractors to prequalify for a contract to build an indoor sports arena within its Qiddiya entertainment city project.

    The invitation was issued on 21 May, with a submission deadline of 28 June.

    The multipurpose arena is designed to International Olympic Committee standards.

    It will be located in District 18, in the Uptown South area of Qiddiya.

    Once completed, the indoor arena will be capable of hosting a wide range of sports, cultural and entertainment events.

    The arena will feature numerous sports courts for basketball, handball, futsal, volleyball, tennis, boxing and gymnastics.

    It will have a seating capacity of 18,000 spectators.

    The project is scheduled for completion by 2030.

    QIC’s other major projects include an e-sports arena, the National Tennis Centre, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, a motorsports track, a racecourse, the Dragon Ball and Six Flags theme parks, and Aquarabia.

    QIC opened the Six Flags theme park to the public in December last year.

    The park covers 320,000 square metres and features 28 rides and attractions, including 10 thrill rides and 18 aimed at families and young children.

    The Qiddiya project is a key part of Riyadh’s strategy to boost leisure tourism in the kingdom.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17375504/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Egypt signs gas deal with Harbour Energy

    22 June 2026

    Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources has signed a new agreement with London-headquartered Harbour Energy.

    Under the scope of the agreement, Harbour Energy will drill two new exploration wells and carry out maintenance work for one of the existing wells within the Dsouq-1 development contract.

    Harbour Energy committed an initial $6m investment and a $1m signing bonus for the Dsouq concession. Total investment could rise to $18m if commercial discoveries are made.

    The signing was witnessed by Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum, Karim Badawi.

    He said that his ministry is continuing to implement a package of investment measures and incentives aimed at encouraging partners to increase investments and intensify exploration, development and production activities.

    The agreement was signed by Syed Saleem, a member of the executive branch of the state-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), and Samah Sabry, the executive director of Harbour Energy for the Middle East and North Africa region.

    Harbour Energy drilled two new wells in Egypt during the fiscal year 2025/2026, resulting in the addition of reserves estimated at 35 billion cubic feet of gas.

    The company aims to drill three new exploration wells during the fiscal year 2026/2027.

    Egypt is currently pushing to boost the production of both oil and gas in its territory.

    Earlier this month, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources announced that it had fully settled all outstanding arrears owed to oil and gas companies.

    Two years ago, in June 2024, the country owed approximately $6.1bn to partners in the oil and gas sector.

    READ THE JUNE 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    GCC looks beyond the Strait; Iraq’s reform window narrows as fiscal assumptions shatter; MEED Top 100 companies.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the June 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17374536/main4731.jpg
    Wil Crisp