Iraq signs export pipeline contract

17 April 2025

Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

Iraq has signed a contract for the construction of its third offshore pipeline as part of a push to boost the stability and flexibility of crude oil exports from its southern ports.

The pipeline project will be executed by a consortium of Italy’s Micoperi and Turkiye’s Esta, and it will have the capacity to transport 2.4 million barrels a day (b/d) of oil.

Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani said that this project is a strategic initiative and aligns with the government's plan to ensure the stability and flexibility of crude oil export operations from southern Iraq's ports. The operational capacity of the pipeline will be approximately 2 million b/d.

The project has been approved by Iraq’s cabinet and its scope includes a marine pipeline with a diameter of 48 inches.

The offshore portion of the pipeline will be 61 kilometres (km) long and the onshore portion will be 9km long.

The scope of the project includes the development of two marine platforms. One of these will be located in the Basrah oil port and the second will be located in the Amiya oil port.

The project also includes an open-water floating platform, electrical systems, communication systems, as well as cathodic control and protection systems.

While this project is likely to enhance Iraq’s ability to export from the southern ports, it is struggling to improve export routes in the north of the country.

Efforts to restart oil flows via the Iraq-Turkiye Pipeline (ITP) have stalled in recent years.

Oil flows through the ITP, from Kirkuk in Iraq to Ceyhan in Turkiye, stopped in March 2023 and have yet to resume, despite several announcements by Iraqi officials stating that progress towards restarting the pipeline has been made.

The oil exports stopped after a Paris-based arbitration court ruled in favour of Baghdad against Ankara, saying the latter had breached a 1973 agreement by allowing Erbil to begin independent oil exports in 2014.

Prior to the halt of exports through the ITP in March 2023, approximately 450,000 b/d of oil were sent from Iraq via Turkiye to international markets.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/13711824/main1041.jpg
Wil Crisp
Related Articles
  • 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
  • Iran invites companies to register for Kharg Oil Terminal development

    22 June 2026

     

    Iran has invited companies to participate in a project to develop the existing Kharg Oil Terminal, according to documents released by the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company and Iranian Oil Terminals Company.

    The project focuses on developing units capable of receiving, storing and exporting extra-heavy West Karun crude oil at a rate of 700,000 barrels a day.

    The scope of the project includes design, purchase, installation and commissioning of the new facility.

    The contract will use the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) model, according to the tender documents.

    The project aims to use existing oil storage tanks and reconstruct the deepwater crude oil export berth known as Berth Number One.

    The berth known as Berth Number Three will serve as a backup berth for the project.

    The winning bidder for the contract will be responsible for a range of works, including:

    • Carrying out all stages of verification of the project’s basic design, design and engineering
    • Supply and procurement of goods and materials
    • Execution and installation
    • Pre-commissioning and commissioning

    The project is expected to take 30 months to complete, and the winning contractor will also be responsible for maintaining the facility for a further 12 months.

    Companies that wish to submit bids need to do so through Iran’s Government Electronic Procurement System (Setad).

    Companies interested in participating in the tender have seven days from the publication of the tender notice to receive the documents.

    They then have a further 14 days to upload the required documents into the government procurement system.

    Iran exports most of its oil via the Kharg Oil Terminal on Kharg Island.

    US President Donald Trump said strikes in mid-March “obliterated” Kharg’s military assets but did not target the island’s oil infrastructure.

    He warned that if Iran continued disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, he would reconsider the decision to spare energy targets on the island.

    Trump has threatened several times to take “control” of Kharg Island, but he has not yet followed through on this threat.

    The small coral island is located 33 kilometres from Iran’s coast and has strategic importance because Iran’s coastline is mostly too shallow for large tanker ships to dock.


    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/17374518/main.jpg
    Wil Crisp
  • EtihadWE tenders water storage and pipeline project

    22 June 2026

    Etihad Water & Electricity (EtihadWE) has invited bids for the construction of a 4-million-imperial-gallon reinforced cement concrete water tank in Madam, Sharjah.

    The scope also includes a DN1000 ductile iron transmission pipeline in Fujairah.

    Madam is located in eastern Sharjah, close to the Fujairah border and within EtihadWE’s Northern Emirates water network.

    MEED understands that the DN1000 transmission pipeline will serve the proposed 4-million-imperial-gallon water tank

    The bid submission deadline is 29 June. Technical proposals will be opened on the same date.

    EtihadWE said the tender is open to experienced and prequalified engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors registered on its vendor list and holding a valid prequalification certificate.

    The utility previously completed a separate water transmission project involving a DN1000 pipeline from the Ghayl New Water Distribution Centre in Ras Al-Khaimah to Madam.

    The local Dhafir Technologies was the EPC contractor.

    The project attracted 16 bids for the main contract during procurement. Among the bidders were Darwish Engineering Emirates (UAE), Green Oasis General Contracting Company (UAE), Lindenberg (UAE), Tamas Projects (UAE), Tecton (UAE) and Wade Adams (UAE).

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17347317/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Contractor appointed for The Carlyle Residences DIFC

    22 June 2026

     

    Local construction firm Dubai Contracting Company has won a contract to build The Carlyle Residences project in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) area.

    The contract was awarded by Dubai-based real estate developer H&H Development.

    The Carlyle Residences by H&H Development will be the first Carlyle-branded residential development outside New York.

    The 33-storey tower will comprise approximately 40 two- to five-bedroom apartments.

    UK-based David Chipperfield Architects is the project architect.

    French firm Tristan Auer is the project’s interior designer.

    Dubai-based enabling firm Swissboring is undertaking the project’s foundation works.

    The latest contract award follows H&H Development’s appointment of Dubai-based construction firm Al-Futtaim Contracting to build 142 villas at Eden Hills in Dubai.

    Separately, in February, H&H and Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Company announced the launch of the Eden House residential project in Abu Dhabi.

    The project will offer more than 200 residential units across 60 floors and was designed by Dubai-based architectural firm dxb Lab.

    The development will be located on Abu Dhabi’s Al-Maryah Island.

    H&H’s latest contract awards in the UAE market come amid heightened real estate and construction activity, with schemes worth more than $323bn at the execution or planning stages, according to UK-based analytics firm GlobalData.

    GlobalData forecasts that output from the UAE’s residential construction sector will grow by 3% in real terms in 2026-29, supported by infrastructure, energy and utilities developments, as well as residential construction projects.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17346200/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal