meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Chinese companies win 95% of all Iraqi energy projects

6 September 2024

Commentary
Wil Crisp
Oil & gas reporter

Companies headquartered in China have won 95% of all major project contracts awarded in Iraq’s oil, gas, chemicals and power sectors so far this year, as they increase their dominance in the market.

A total of $12.1bn in energy project contracts were won by Chinese companies during the first eight months of 2024, according to data gathered by regional project tracker MEED Projects.

The only major award so far this year that was not won by a company or partnership that was 100% Chinese, was the contract to rehabilitate the Baiji 2 gas-fired power station, which is estimated to be worth $1.3bn by MEED Projects.

This contract was awarded to a consortium of Beijing-headquartered China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and German technology conglomerate Siemens.

Commenting on the figures, one industry source said: “China has been a dominant force in Iraq’s energy sector for a long time and this is only increasing as time passes.

“The huge presence that China has in the country’s energy sector is a source of concern for Iraq’s leadership, which doesn’t want to cede control of so many important infrastructure projects to companies from any single country.”

“The problem is, other countries are reluctant to take on the risks of doing business in Iraq and at the same offer the competitive prices that Chinese contractors can offer.”

The biggest energy project contract won by a Chinese contractor so far this year is the agreement for the development of the Al-Faw Investment Refinery project.

The client on the project, state-owned Southern Refineries Company, signed a contract with CSCEC in May this year.

The refinery will have a capacity of 300,000 barrels a day and will produce oil derivatives for both domestic and international markets.

The project will be carried out in two stages. The first phase will involve refining operations, while the second will involve constructing a petrochemicals complex with a capacity of 3 million tonnes a year.

The wider project also includes the construction of a 2,000MW power plant and the establishment of the Al-Faw Academy for Refinery Technology, to train 5,000 Iraqi workers that will eventually work at the facility.

Hualu, a subsidiary of China National Chemical Engineering Company (CNCEC), signed a preliminary principles agreement for the project in December 2021.

At the time, Iraq’s Oil Ministry said that the project would have an investment value of $7bn-$8bn.

MEED Projects has estimated that the contract value of the deal signed with CSCEC in May for the refinery project is about $4bn.

Other energy project contracts won by Chinese companies during the first eight months of this year included the contract for the Artawi 1,000MW photovoltaic solar power plant in Basra.

This contract, estimated to be worth $1bn, was awarded to China Energy Engineering International Group.

Chengdu-based DongFang Electric Corporation was awarded the main contract for a project to convert the Baghdad South power plant into a combined-cycle gas turbine power plant.

The project is estimated to be worth $85m and will increase the capacity of the power plant by 125MW-625MW.

Also this year, a subsidiary of PetroChina, the listed arm of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation, signed an agreement to develop Iraq’s Nahr Bin Umar onshore gas field.

The subsidiary, PetroChina Halfaya, was awarded the build-own-operate-transfer contract, which is estimated to be worth about $400m.

Iraq’s Oil Ministry said that the field will have an initial output capacity of 150 million cubic feet a day.

The project is expected to be completed within 36 months and will include the construction of gas-gathering facilities, storage tanks and pipeline networks to supply gas to power stations.

Strong performance

Chinese contractors also performed well in Iraq’s energy sector in terms of the value of contract awards in 2023.

Last year, Chinese contractors won $2.3bn in Iraqi energy sector contracts, almost half of the $4.8bn that was awarded.

Looking at the data for 2023 and the first eight months of 2024 together, Chinese companies won $14.5bn in contracts, 82% of the $17.6bn in energy project contracts awarded over the period.

The second closest competitors were companies from Germany, which won just over $1bn in contracts, 6% of all awards.

Iraqi companies were third, winning $816m in contracts, according to the data compiled by MEED Projects.

Contracts were also won by companies from Italy, the Netherlands and Turkiye.

Iraq is currently in the midst of a push to try and increase the volume of work being carried out by US companies in the country’s energy sector.

Earlier this month, Iraq announced that it was planning to offer about 10 gas exploration blocks to international companies in a new licensing round that will be launched during a visit to the US by Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani.

Abdel-Ghani said that he will be specifically targeting US companies in the upcoming round.

Earlier this year, the US international oil and gas company ExxonMobil completed its exit from Iraq’s West Qurna-1 oil field, handing over operatorship to PetroChina.

Exxon’s plan to exit the West Qurna-1 oil field was first announced in April 2021, when Iraq’s Oil Ministry said the US-based oil company was considering selling its 32.7% stake.

 

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/12460160/main3355.jpg
Wil Crisp

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

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Construction advances on Riyadh King Salman airport

    19 May 2026

    King Salman International Airport (KSIA) is advancing airside infrastructure works under its long-term expansion programme in Riyadh, including the delivery of a third runway and new private aviation facilities.

    Construction activity on the central runway programme is progressing across several operational zones, with works covering excavation, grading, site preparation and taxiway-enabling infrastructure to support upcoming phases.

    The third runway is intended to increase airfield capacity and cater to the airport’s future operational requirements.

    In a separate development, KSIA has completed initial landside works for the private aviation apron, marking a milestone in the rollout of its executive aviation infrastructure.

    The completed scope includes pavement markings, waterproofing systems, firefighting infrastructure chambers and final operational inspections to support readiness for the next stages.

    KSIA has also secured General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) approval for phase one airside works, which includes the planned connection of Taxiway Alpha to the private aviation facilities, strengthening operational integration between executive aviation assets and airfield movement areas.

    The packages form part of the wider KSIA masterplan, which covers about 57 square kilometres and supports Saudi Arabia’s objective of positioning Riyadh as a global aviation and logistics hub.

    The airport aims to accommodate up to 100 million passengers by 2030.

    Saudi Arabia plans to invest $100bn in its aviation sector. The Saudi Aviation Strategy, announced by GACA, aims to triple annual passenger traffic to 330 million travellers by 2030. It also targets air cargo growth to 4.5 million tonnes and an increase in total air connections to more than 250 destinations.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16906496/main.jpeg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Aldar launches Al-Ghadeer Gardens project

    19 May 2026

    Abu Dhabi-based real estate developer Aldar Properties has launched the Al-Ghadeer Gardens project, located on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai border.

    The new residential development will feature 437 villas and townhouses, offering two-, three- and four-bedroom homes.

    Al-Ghadeer Gardens will include more than 30,000 square metres of landscaped open space, supporting a pedestrian-friendly layout and outdoor-focused living.

    As part of its sustainability and wellbeing approach, the project is targeting Estidama Pearl 2 and Fitwel 2-star certifications.

    Earlier this month, Aldar announced its Q1 financial results, reporting a 20% year-on-year increase in net profit after tax to AED2.3bn ($626m).

    Aldar Development recorded a 14% year-on-year rise in revenue to $1.7bn, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) increased 23% to $599m.

    UAE revenue backlog rose to $17bn at the end of March from $16.6bn at the end of December, with an average duration of 29 months.

    The group attributed its performance to revenue from its development backlog and steady income from its investment properties.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16906154/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Iraq trucks oil from the south to Kurdish pipeline

    19 May 2026

     

    Iraq is trucking crude from Basra to the north of the country to be exported via the Iraq-Turkiye Pipeline (ITP), according to industry sources.

    The oil is being loaded into trucks at fields in Basra before being driven to the north, where it is injected into the pipeline network at Khurmala Dome, in the northern section of the Kirkuk field.

    Once it has entered the network at Khurmala Dome, it is transported to the main ITP export pipeline and eventually to the port of Ceyhan in Turkiye, where it can be loaded onto ships.

    The volumes of crude being transported using trucks have surged in Iraq since the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February, starting a regional conflict that has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

    One source said: “Most of the crude that is being trucked out of Iraqi oil fields at the moment is going to Syria, but some is being trucked to the north where it is being funnelled through the pipeline.”

    Even with the additional volumes being trucked from the south, Iraq is struggling to boost exports using the ITP.

    At the end of March, Amer Khalil, the director-general of Iraq’s state-run North Oil Company, said that Iraq was exporting 200,000 barrels a day (b/d) through the ITP.

    At the time, he said that the pipeline, which runs from Kirkuk in Iraqi Kurdistan to the port of Ceyhan in Turkiye, was expected to start transporting 300,000 b/d “in the near future”.

    As of early May, the pipeline was still exporting about 200,000 b/d, despite having a nameplate capacity of 1.4 million b/d.

    One of the factors said to be stopping increased volumes from being shipped through the pipeline is that several key oil fields in northern Iraq evacuated staff and stopped production after the US and Israel started their war with Iran.

    Another factor is that Iraq has not invested in domestic pipeline infrastructure to pipe production from Basra to Kurdistan, where it could be exported via the Kurdish ITP route.

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

    Global energy sector forced to recalibrate; Conflict hits debt issuance and listings activity; UAE’s non-oil sector faces unclear recovery period amid disruption.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the May 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16902345/main1824.jpg
    Wil Crisp
  • Kuwaiti oil services company secures credit facility

    19 May 2026

    The Kuwaiti drilling and oilfield services provider Action Energy Company (AEC) has secured a new credit facility and renewed and expanded an existing facility in order to support the company’s rig fleet expansion.

    The new facility and the expansion were obtained from two Kuwaiti banks and had a combined value of KD40.9m ($132.8m).

    In its statement, AEC said that the facilities support the financing and deployment of new rigs linked to contract awards previously announced with the state-owned upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC).

    The company added: “They further reinforce AEC’s financing structure and strengthen its ability to execute its contracted fleet expansion plan through 2026 and beyond, while maintaining a disciplined approach to capital allocation.”

    The new credit facility was obtained from Kuwait International Bank (KIB).

    It is worth KD7.3m ($23.7m) and will finance two new 750-horsepower (HP) rigs.

    The renewal and expansion of the existing facility is worth KD33.6m ($109.1m) and was obtained from Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) to finance four new 1,500 HP rigs and one 1,000 HP rig, in addition to the renewal of the existing facilities.

    AEC announced its financial and operational performance for the first quarter earlier this month.

    The company reported a net profit of KD2.2m ($7.1m).

    The company’s revenue grew by 69.2% year-on-year, primarily driven by the expansion of the operating rig fleet from 13 rigs in the first quarter of 2025 to 20 rigs in the first quarter of 2026, including the full-quarter contribution of 10 new rigs deployed during 2025.

    The company is benefitting from a substantial multi-year contracted backlog with KOC.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16902234/main.jpg
    Wil Crisp
  • Emirates awards $5bn engineering complex deal

    18 May 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Emirates Airline has awarded a AED19bn ($5bn) contract to build one of the world's largest engineering complexes in Dubai South.

    The contract was awarded to Beijing-headquartered China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC).

    CRCC is being supported by French firm Artelia, as the project consultant.

    The complex will cover over 1 million square metres (sq m).

    It will comprise 77,000 sq m of dedicated workshop space for maintenance and repairs, 380,000 sq m of storage and logistics capacity, a 50,000 sq m administrative building for Emirates Engineering and 15,000 sq m of training facilities.

    It will be the world's only complex with a capacity to service 28 wide-body aircraft simultaneously.

    The airline officially broke ground on the project on 18 May. 

    The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and CEO of Emirates Group; Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline; Khalifa Al-Zaffin, executive chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South; and Dai Hegen, chairman of CRCC.

    The facility will enable large-scale retrofits, cabin redesigns and structural modifications to be performed in-house, thereby reducing turnaround times.

    The engineering complex is scheduled for completion in 2030 and will be located at Al-Maktoum International airport.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16895218/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal