Iraq

Forging an authentic and meaningful brand for major projects in complex and challenging regions is an under-rated tool for managing risk—but not at the Rumaila oilfield in Southern Iraq.

Iraqi forces are preparing an operation to consolidate control of an area near the Iran border to be used for the transit of Iraqi oil, two officials said, highlighting concern about mountainous terrain where two armed groups are active.

Iraq plans to use drones to monitor and protect its oil export and production pipelines from the first quarter of 2018, an oil ministry spokesman said on 18 December.

Iraq is producing oil at record levels this year but low oil prices have cast doubts on the economic feasibility of its licensing contracts, which some analysts and policy advisers say are holding back higher output.