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News / Kurdistan

KRG Oil revenues have increased by 42%

Draw Media The total oil revenue of the Kurdistan Region in the first quarter of 2022 increased by 42% compared to the first quarter of 2021. In a way that the revenue rose from $2.536 billion to $4.341 billion. And in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021 the net revenue returned to the KRG after deducting expenditures increased by 42% from $1.142 billion to $1.970 billion. First, the revenue and amount of oil exported from December 1 to April 1 According to Deloitte, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) sold 50 million 644 thousand and 230 barrels of oil through the Turkish port of Jayhan in the first quarter of 2021. According to the data the average crude oil price in that period was 50$ per barrel. That means, the total revenue from oil sales through pipeline was (2 billion 536 million 358 thousand 78) dollars, but an average of (54.6%) of this revenue have spent to the cost of the process which was (1 billion 394 million, 149 thousand and 925 dollars. According to this, the net oil revenue of the Kurdistan Regional Government was 1 billion 142 million 208 thousand 154 dollars by 45.4% of the total income. Second: The revenue and amount of oil exported from December 11 to April 1, According to the statistics available to Draw Media, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in the first four months of 2022 sold 49 million 56 thousand barrels of oil through the Turkish Port and the average crude oil price in that period was 88$ per barrel. The total revenue from oil sales through pipeline was $4 billion, 341 million, 348 thousand and 280 dollars. According to Deloitte's 2021 data, an average of 54.6 percent of revenue went to oil process expenditures. If we take the same amount of expenditure for the months of 2022, the amount of expenditure is (2 billion 370 million 376 thousand 161) dollars, thus (45.4%) of the total oil revenue, handed over to the Kurdistan Regional Government Kurdistan, which is (1 billion 970 million 972 thousand 119) dollars. Third, compare oil revenues for the first four months of 2021 to 2022 The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) sold oil worth $2 billion 536 million 358 thousand 78 in the first four months of 2021. However, in the first four months of 2022, the amount of revenue increased by 42%, so that the total value of oil sold was (4 billion 341 million 348 thousand 280) dollars. This means that the revenue from oil exports increased by (1 billion 804 million 990 thousand 202) dollars. Revenue received by the Kurdistan Regional Government The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has received $1 billion 142 million 208 thousand 154 from oil sales in the first four months of 2021. However, in the first four months of 2022, the amount of revenue increased by (42%), so that the net oil revenue received by the Kurdistan Regional Government was (1 billion 970 million 972 thousand 119) dollars. This means that the net oil revenue received by the Kurdistan Regional Government has increased (828 million 763 thousand 965) dollars.

Iraq bids to control Kurdistan oil revenue with contract switch

Draw: Reuters By Rowena Edwards and Amina Ismail Iraq has made a fresh attempt to control revenue from the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan by asking oil and gas firms operating there to sign new contracts with state-owned marketer SOMO rather than the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Oil minister Ihsan Ismael on May 7 said Iraq's oil ministry would start implementing a February federal court ruling that deemed the legal foundations of the Kurdistan region's oil and gas sector unconstitutional. read more A letter seen by Reuters shows that the oil ministry appointed international law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton to approach some oil and gas firms operating in the Kurdistan region to "initiate discussions to bring their operations into line with applicable Iraqi law." Implementing the court decision "will require changes to the contractual regime" for the companies, the letter added. Other firms received a letter directly from the oil minister, one source said. The KRG has repeatedly rejected the federal court ruling. The letters, which were sent on May 8, mark the first direct contact between the ministry and oil firms operating in the Kurdistan region. The move follows years of attempts by the federal government to bring KRG revenues under its control, including local court rulings and threats of international arbitration. The implications of the latest move are not fully clear as more than seven months since elections in Iraq, the formation of a government is still underway. An Iraqi oil ministry legal adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that a joint government committee, including representatives from the oil ministry including the minister, Iraq’s National Oil Company (Inoc) as well as the Federal Board of Supreme Audit (FBSA), will conduct a contractual review. The aim is to eventually sign contracts with the central government and not the KRG, the adviser added. Foreign oil firms present in the Kurdistan region including Genel Energy (GENL.L) , Chevron and Gulf Keystone (GKP.L) , and Cleary Gottlieb declined to comment, while Iraq’s oil ministry and oil and gas firm DNO did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The oil ministry has yet to receive responses from the companies concerned and could take further legal measures in the case of no response, one oil ministry official said, without elaborating. Foreign oil firms are unlikely to engage with Baghdad directly without coordination with the KRG, one oil firm representative told Reuters. TENSIONS FLARE UP Baghdad’s persistent attempts to implement the ruling has the capacity to worsen already fraught tensions with Erbil. Iraq’s state-owned North Oil (NOC) claimed on Saturday that KRG forces took control of some oil wells in the disputed region of Kirkuk but the KRG denied the allegation, claiming it was designed to create chaos. read more On May 12, Inoc published an analysis detailing how the KRG’s production-sharing contracts are financially worse for both the government and foreign oil firms than federal Iraq’s own technical service contracts. Meanwhile, Iraq has struggled to attract major fresh investments into its federal energy industry since signing a flurry of post U.S.-invasion deals over a decade ago. read more The Iraqi government has cut oil output targets repeatedly as international oil companies that signed those initial deals leave due to poor returns. Ismael on Monday said Iraq now plans to boost its crude production capacity from around 5 million barrels per day (bpd) to 6 million bpd of crude capacity by the end of 2027, a sharp downward revision from a previous target of 8 mln bpd by that year.

Masoud Barzani paid a secret visit to Iran

The head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masoud Barzani, has been in Iran in the past two days and yesterday evening returned back to Kurdistan. A source from the KDP’s Political Bureau confirmed the information for Draw Media and said that Masoud Barzani had visited Iran for two days and returned to the Kurdistan Region today. Barzani's visit was to pave the way for his expected initiative, which is decided to be announced in next a few days. The Initiative focuses on solving the political deadlock in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

KDP stops media attacks on PUK

Draw Media The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has suspended its media attacks on the PUK and its characters on Masoud Barzani's command, and that is the beginning of preparations for Barzani's initiative to pull Iraq out of political deadlock, with the agreement of the Iranians. On demand of KDP’s Cultural and Media Agency, which determines the direction of the work of the KDP media and social media, called the party’s media to stop their attack on the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) "in consideration of the current situation in the Kurdistan region, all media attacks on the PUK and its leaders should be stopped." KDP’s Cultural and Media Agency asked the party’s media in a letter. The KDP's decision to stop the media war coincides with approaching an announcement of a new political initiative by Masoud Barzani and the KDP’s meeting with the PUK. According to Draw information, Barzani wants to open the knot of the Iraqi political deadlock from the Kurdistan Region and reach an agreement with the PUK on the post of the President. By giving up the presidency post for the PUK, Barzani wants to take the PUK out of the Coordination frame work coalition and turn the PUK to partner with (Sadr + Barzani + Halbulsi) coalition. In this way, the quorum of the parliamentary session for the presidential election will be completed, and after the election of the president, the process of forming a government by a tripartite coalition should begin. To convince the PUK, Barzani must also convince the Iranians on this initiative, since the Coordination Framework (Maliki, Amiri, Khazali, Faleh Fayyaz, Abadi, Hakim) are supported by Iran and the PUK is part of this project, so leaving this coalition without Tehran's consent will be a big risk for the Kurdish authorities.

journalists' discussion

On Monday, several editors-in-chief and journalists in the Kurdistan region held an open discussion at Draw Media headquarters regarding the challenges facing the media outlets in the Kurdistan region. During the discussion, the attendees focused on the current situation and the working conditions of the media in the Kurdistan region, especially the issue of cyber-attacks on digital media and social media pages. Another topic was discussing how to create cooperation among the media institutions. As a result of the discussion, the participants generally agreed that: 1. Trying to create media cooperation in the Kurdistan region and abroad among media organizations. 2. Support and togetherness for confronting the pressures that are being put on media and journalists. 3. Trying to resolve electronic pressures through Facebook and related agencies. 4. Informing consuls, international envoys, representatives of the United Nations, and international organizations about the media situation and the pressure on the media organizations. 1. Standard Foundation – Erbil 2. Bwar News – Erbil 3. Voice Radio - Garmian 4. Shar press 5. Diplomatic 6. Hawlati 7. Paragraph 8. Draw Media 9. Metro Center 10. head of the Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate - Sulaimani branch. 11. Kamal Chomani 12. Farman Rashad 13. Dilshad Anwar 14- Karokh Rasul, technical expert on social media

Kurdish forces seize some oil wells from Iraqi control

Forces from the regional Kurdish government have taken control of some oil wells in northern Kirkuk, Iraq's state-run North Oil Company said in a statement on Saturday. It said the forces arrived with a technical team from the Kurdish region and took over some of the oil wells in the Bai Hassan oilfield, which is controlled by the North Oil Company. The statement did not say when the forces arrived and whether they were still there. Iraqi forces took back control of Kirkuk oilfields from the Kurds in 2017 following a referendum on Kurdish independence. Baghdad responded to the plebiscite, in which Kurds overwhelmingly voted for independence, by dislodging Kurdish Peshmerga fighters from territories claimed by both Baghdad and the Kurds, including the oil city of Kirkuk. Kirkuk’s oilfields had been under Kurdish control since 2014, when the Iraqi army collapsed in the face of Islamic State. The Kurdish move prevented the militants from seizing the region’s oilfields.

Oil fields in Duhok province and their production capacity

Draw Media Out of (57) oil and gas blocks, (18) oil blocks are located in Duhok province, where (22) companies from (9) foreign countries are exploring and drilling for gas and oil. Although according to the information (65%) of the oil reserves in Sulaimani province and only one block has reached the production stage, in Duhok province in (6) blocks companies have reached the production stage, all the six blocks produce more than (50%) of the region's oil production. According to the data for 2020 compared to 2022, in the Duhok fields, the three fields (Fishkhabur, Sarsang, and Sheikhan) increased daily oil production, and in two fields (Tawke and Atrush), oil production decreased. First; Oil blocks in Duhok province Out of the 57 mineral blocks (oil and gas), 18 oil blocks are located in Duhok province, three of which are in Mosul province (Ain Safni, Bashik, Jabal Kand). These blocks are under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government. In 17 of those Blocks, (22) foreign companies are exploring and drilling for gas and oil. the companies are from (9) different countries (USA, Canada, Turkey, Norway, Britain, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, and UAE). Each company's share will fluctuate depending on the contracts. Second; Producing oil blocks in the Duhok province According to the information, 10 oil blocks are in the production process in the Kurdistan Region. Six of these blocks are located in Duhok province, producing more than 50% of the total oil production in the Kurdistan Region. According to statistics, the Kurdistan Regional Government produces 400,000 to 450,000 barrels of oil per day, and (220-250 thousand) barrels of oil are produced in the fields of Duhok province. Third: The growth and decline of oil fields in Duhok province According to the data for 2020 compared to 2022, in the 6 fields of Duhok, three fields (Fishkhabur, Sarsang, and Sheikhan) increased daily oil production, and in two fields (Tawke and Atrush), oil production decreased, and no information is available about the production of the Ain Safni block.

Dana Gas doubles net profit in 2022

Draw Media, Dana Gas Dana Gas PJSC (the “Company”), the Middle East’s largest regional private sector natural gas company, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended 31 March 2022. Net Profit was up 125% in Q1 2022, reaching AED 198 million ($54mm) or 2.8 fils per share as compared to AED 88 million ($24mm) or 1.26 fils per share in Q1 2021, reflecting strong business performance. Revenue was AED 513 million ($140mm), 32% higher compared to AED 389 million ($106mm) in Q1 2021. The increase in revenue and profit was the result of higher hydrocarbon prices and the Company’s successful efforts to manage costs. The Company’s EBITDA increased 62% in Q1 2022 at AED 297 million ($81mm). The Company’s realized prices during the period averaged $82/bbl for condensate and $43/boe for LPG compared to $44/bbl and $33/boe respectively in Q1 2021. “Building on the positive momentum from 2021, Dana Gas has delivered one of its best quarterly results, supported by high energy prices, continued high KRI operational performance and our low-cost base. This has allowed the Board of Directors to recommend a 4.5 fils dividend payment to shareholders. Looking ahead, good progress continues to be made on the $600 million KM250 gas expansion project. The next phase of development is expected to contribute an additional 25% to our total production capacity by Q2 2023 and will positively impact our top and bottom lines and support future dividend payments. The outlook for the remainder of 2022 is particularly encouraging, as energy prices and demand remain strong due to the prevalent global economic challenges.” Operations & Production The Group’s overall production fell slightly to 62,400 boepd in Q1 2022 versus 64,900 boepd in Q1 2021. Production output in the KRI remained similar year-on-year, with production averaging 35,400 boepd in Q1 2022 versus 35,300 in Q1 2021. Egypt production declined 7% to 27,000 boepd as a result of natural field depletion. Furthermore, the KM250 expansion plans are progressing well. The KM expansion project is on track to deliver first gas in Q2 2023. Liquidity and Collections The Group’s cash and bank balance at end of Q1 stood at AED 766 million ($209mm) including AED 260 million ($71mm) held at the Pearl level, an increase of 13% compared to AED 678 million ($185mm) at the end of 2021. At the Company’s General Assembly held on 21 April 2022, the shareholders approved a cash dividend of 4.5 fils per share for the second half of 2021, to be distributed on the 19th of May. This brings the total dividend for the year ended 31 December 2021 to 8 fils per share. The Group collected a total of AED 253 million ($69mm) during the quarter compared to AED 213 million ($58mm) in Q1 2021, with Egypt and KRI contributing AED 62 million ($17mm) and AED 191 million ($52mm) respectively. The Company’s receivables in KRI stands at AED 216 million ($59mm) versus AED 176 million ($48mm) in Q1 2022 and a significant improvement in Egypt at AED 114 million ($31mm) at the end of quarter, compared to AED 480 million ($131mm) in Q1 2021. CEO succession plan The Dana Gas Board also announces the commencement of a succession planning process for the CEO to include a search for the candidate to succeed Dr. Patrick-Allman Ward who will have successfully completed 10 years of remarkable service leading the Company’s management. The Board of Directors has agreed that Dr. Allman-Ward will assist with the executive search process for his successor, which is expected to take the rest of the year 2022. Dr. Allman-Ward will thereafter continue to support the Company as Senior Advisor to the Board of Directors. “Since Patrick was appointed CEO by the Board in September 2013, Dana Gas has been transformed from a company with $1 billion in overdue receivables and $1 billion in debt to a company that has totally redeemed its Sukuk entirely, has negligible receivables, and that has been delivering consistent dividends to its shareholders at levels which are among the highest of its global peer group and currently the highest on the ADX. In this period the Company’s share price has risen from AED 0.6 per share to reach AED 1.15 per share. On behalf of the Board, I express my deepest gratitude for Patrick’s decade of loyal service. We obviously welcome Patrick’s assistance with the search for his successor, as well as his willingness to continue to serve the Company as a Senior Adviser to the Board. A successor CEO will be recruited to take over the executive helm of Dana Gas with the requisite qualifications and skill sets to drive the Company forward and implement its next phase of development and growth.” “Serving as the CEO of Dana Gas has been both a pleasure and a privilege and has been the most exciting and challenging period of my life. Witnessing the transformation of the Company has been a hugely satisfying achievement. 2021 has been the Company’s best year since its establishment in 2005, with record collections, profits and dividends. At the beginning of my tenure all the Company’s free cash flow was absorbed by debt repayment, but now it flows to its shareholders in growing dividends. I look forward to continuing to work with the Board pending the appointment of my successor, and thereafter as Senior Adviser to the Board.” About Dana Gas Dana Gas is the Middle East’s first and largest regional private sector natural gas Company established in December 2005 with a public listing on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). It has exploration and production assets in Egypt, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and UAE, with 2P reserves exceeding one billion boe and average production of 62,600 boepd in 2021. With sizeable assets in KRI and Egypt, and further plans for expansion.

The Kurdistan region's income in March 2022

Draw Media A schedule that has been sent to Draw, Shows the Kurdistan region's total income and Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah’s portion of the KRG income. 🔹 Total oil revenue: 800 billion dinars 🔹 Total non-oil revenue: 300 billion dinars 🔹 International Coalition financial aid: 32 billion dinars Total KRG revenue: one trillion and 132 billion dinars 🔹 Sulaymaniyah’s Portion: 388 billion dinars by 34% 🔹 (Erbil and Duhok)’s Portion: 744 billion dinars by 66%

Kurdistan Regional Government Income for April 2022

Non-oil income •The region's non-oil revenues for April = (164 billion) dinars (which will be spent on salaries) • Coalition Financial aid for Peshmerga forces = (31 billion 500 million) dinars Oil revenues (pipeline export) • The Kurdistan Region exported 13 million and 616 thousand barrels of oil through the Turkish port of Jayhan in April 2022. • The average price of Brent oil for April was $ 104.58. • Because the region sells its oil for less than $12, The average price of KRG oil for April was.$92.58. So: (13 million and 616 thousand) barrels X (92.58) dollars = (1 billion, 260 million, 569 thousand and 280) dollars. In Iraqi dinar is: (1 billion, 260 million, 569 thousand and 280) dollars X (1450) dinars = (1 trillion 827 billion, 825 million and 456 thousand) dinars. • According to Deloitte's latest report, 56% of oil revenues will go to the production expenses and 44% remains for the Ministry of Natural Resources. - So: (1 billion, 260 million, 569 thousand and 280) dollars X (56%) = (705 million, 918 thousand and 797) dollars go to the oil process costs. It means in dinar: (705 million, 918 thousand and 797) dollars X (1450 dinars = (1 trillion, 23 billion, 582 million and 255 thousand and 360) dinars is oil expenditure. - (1 billion, 260 million, 569 thousand and 280) dollars X (44%) = (554 million, 650 thousand and 483) dollars of the income will remain in April. Oil revenue in Dinar is 554 million, 650 thousand-, and 483-dollars X (1,450) dinars= (804 billion, 243 million, 200 thousand, and 640) dinars. Total income in April 2022 (in dinar) • (804 billion, 243 million, 200 thousand and 640) oil income + (164 billion) non-oil income + (31 billion 500 million) from allies = (999 billion, 743 million, 200 thousand and 640) dinars

Report: Kurdish Authorities 'Likely Involved' in Citizen Journalist’s Killing

Draw Media, VOA On the 12th anniversary of the death of Kurdish journalist Sardasht Osman, an investigation by three press advocacy groups claims Iraqi Kurdish authorities were “likely directly involved” and that Osman was assassinated because of a satirical blog post. The investigation’s results were published in a 43-page report Wednesday by A Safer World For The Truth, a collaborative initiative of Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Reporters without Borders (RSF). The groups said they interviewed dozens of witnesses, analyzed case files, and reviewed satellite photos in concluding that Osman, a citizen journalist, was targeted for an article written a year earlier criticizing the family of then-Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani. Osman's body was found on May 6, 2010, in Mosul, two days after he’d been abducted outside his college campus in the Iraqi Kurdish capital, Irbil. He had been shot in the head. “This report reveals serious flaws in the official investigation into the kidnap and assassination of Sardasht and finds credible allegations that Kurdish authorities were directly involved in the murder,” the group’s report states. VOA reached out to the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) for comment on the report but has not received a response. The KRG had accused the now-defunct terror group Ansar al-Islam of carrying out the killing. Barzani has previously denied any involvement in Osman's death. Osman was 23 when he died and a student at the University of Salahaddin in Irbil. The offending blog post, titled "I am in love with Barzani’s daughter,” lampooned Barzani's family for nepotism and corruption. After publishing his article, Osman wrote that he had received death threats and was interrogated by the security forces. “There are always people who don’t want to listen when you start telling the truth, who get furious at the slightest whisper. To stay alive though, we must tell the truth. I will continue to write until the last minute of my life,” he wrote. Numerous reports have documented how the Barzani and Talabani families have dominated Kurdistan for decades and allegedly amassed vast hidden wealth using their control of the regional government, security forces and oil resources. A Safer World For The Truth describes itself as “a people's tribunal” in a world where impunity for crimes against journalists is common. The initiative so far has investigated impunity in the killings of five journalists. In Osman’s case, the KRG created a special committee to investigate the matter. But the journalist groups found numerous problems in the committee’s work, making the explanation that terrorists were to blame implausible. “First, we found that after the assassination, Kurdish authorities consistently harassed and threatened Sardasht’s family and friends, and threatened journalists who wrote about the case. Additionally, Kurdish authorities banned various publications about Sardasht’s life, work and assassination,” the report states. “The location where Sardasht was kidnapped was constantly monitored by CCTV cameras and armed guards, yet the armed guards did not prevent the kidnapping; nor did the committee analyze CCTV footage of the kidnapping,” the investigation found. An original autopsy report disappeared, the group said, as did its author. An official autopsy report was inconsistent with other physical evidence, and the KRG committee never interviewed Osman’s family and friends or investigated the threats he’d received. Jules Swinkels, lead researcher for the group’s report said in a statement: “The case of Sardasht is emblematic of what can happen when journalists push the boundaries of their confined freedom of expression.” "[Osman] wrote satirically about Kurdistan’s most powerful individuals and was kidnapped and assassinated because of it. Tragically, his case demonstrates that a complete lack of political will to investigate and solve murders of journalists domestically is one of the main reasons for impunity," Swinkels added. In the years since Osman's death, at least 22 other journalists have been killed in Iraq, including several who died in KRG-controlled areas, according to the CPJ. The report called on the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, which have all aided the KRG financially and militarily, to press Kurdish authorities “to investigate threats against, attacks on and murders of journalists according to international standards, including a re-investigation of the case of Sardasht Osman.”

The income of the border crossings was more than 400 billion dinars in the last 3 months

Draw Media According to statistics from the Kurdistan Regional Government's General Directorate of Customs, the revenue of the border crossings was more than 400 billion dinars in the last 3 months January customs revenue: Ibrahim Khalil: 65 billion and 392 million dinars Haji Omaran: 14 billion and 102 million dinars Bashmakh: 10 billion and 538 million dinars Parwezkhan: 18 billion and 231 million dinars February 2022 customs revenue: Ibrahim Khalil: 77 billion and 172 million dinars Haji Omaran: 17 billion and 831 million dinars Bashmakh: 15 billion and 140 million dinars Parwezkhan: 21 billion and 642 million dinars March 2022 customs revenue: Ibrahim Khalil: 73 billion and 320 million dinars Haji Omaran: 22 billion and 488 million dinars Bashmakh: 17 billion and 238 million dinars Parwezkhan: 23 billion and 338 million dinars January customs revenues for airports: Erbil International Airport: one billion and 853 million dinars Sulaymaniyah International Airport: One billion and 27 million dinars General Coy: 2 billion and 880 million dinars February customs revenues for airports: Erbil International Airport: one billion and 461 million dinars Sulaymaniyah International Airport: One billion and 225 million dinars General Coy: 2 billion and 686 million dinars March customs revenues for airports: Erbil International Airport: one billion and 780 million dinars Sulaymaniyah International Airport: 784 million dinars General Coy: 2 billion and 564 million dinars Total Customs income of January 2022: 116 billion and 842 million dinars Total Customs income of February 2022: 142 billion and 56 million dinars Total Customs income of March 2022: 147 billion and 67 million dinars

ExxonMobil Quits Iraqi Kurdistan

Draw Media, mees The US supermajor’s bold 2011 Iraqi Kurdistan entry sent shockwaves through Iraq. A decade later ExxonMobil has quietly packed its bags and quit its last remaining asset, Pirmam, without producing a drop from any of the six blocks it picked up. Any prospective replacement may eye a gas-related tie-in with neighboring Bina Bawi. ExxonMobil has quit Iraqi Kurdistan, relinquishing its sole remaining license in the region – the Pirmam gas block. The supermajor’s contentious 2011 entry was spearheaded by then-CEO Rex Tillerson in the face of opposition not only from Baghdad but also from the US Department of State. A decade after sparking political outcry, Exxon has walked away without much to show. Attracting international majors was a cornerstone of Iraqi Kurdistan’s strategy for developing its nascent oil and gas sector a decade ago. Erbil’s success in bringing in the likes of ExxonMobil, Total, Chevron and Gazprom Neft helped provide a political shield against Baghdad’s opposition – the four firms are national champions from three of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

How the Salaries of Sulaymaniyah's Civil Servants Are Provided?

Draw Media - March oil revenue: one billion and 128 million dollars - Oil revenue to the government treasury: 551 million dollars - Oil revenue for salary: 366 million for salary, (66%) - Oil revenue for expenditure: $ 185 million, (34%) - Oil income and Baghdad financial aid for Sulaymaniyah salary: 193 million dollars Sulaymaniyah should allocate 48 million dollars of internal income for civil servants’ monthly salary - Sulaymaniyah needs $248 million per month for civil servant’s salary - The total salary of the KRG civil servants: is 893 billion dinars monthly -The total salary of Sulaymaniyah civil servants: is 365 billion dinars monthly -The KRG sends 287 billion dinars monthly for Sulaymaniyah’s salary - Sulaymaniyah’s salary deficit is 78 billion dinars, which will be filled with internal income - From the Sulaymaniyah’s internal income (15) billion dinars will be sent to national institutions in Erbil monthly - From the Sulaymaniyah’s internal income (7) billion dinars will be paid to students and contract teachers monthly - With internal income and oil revenues, the civil servant salaries would be easily provided, but the government has lost the control and the internal income does not return to banks and the oil and internal revenues are not transparent, some of those revenues are unknown, so how much local income increases and how much higher the price of oil is, the salary problem would not be solved. - The KRG Income for March: Oil income: 810 billion dinars Baghdad financial aid: 200 billion dinars - Internal income: 370 billion dinars - Coalition financial aid: 27 billion dinars - Total March revenue: one trillion and 407 billion dinars - The total amount of civil servant Salary: is 893 billion dinars - The remaining amount for the KRG: 514 billion dinars (after extracting the salary)

65% of Oil Reserves and 7% of Oil Production Are in the PUK Zone.

Draw Media Part one Of the 57 oil and gas blocks, 23 oil and 2 gas blocks are located in the PUK zone in Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, and Garmian provinces, where 13 foreign companies are investigating, searching, and digging oil production (except gas). According to the information, Sulaymaniyah’s oil reserves are estimated at more than 36 billion barrels which are 65 percent of the region's total oil reserves. This comes at a time when of the 9 blocks that have reached the production stage in the PUK zone, making up only 7.3 percent of the region's oil production. First, the oil reserves of the Kurdistan Region and the share of Sulaymaniyah governorate in it Different information is available on the size of the region's oil reserves, but official KRG information since 2010 indicates that 45 billion barrels of oil reserves are estimated to be in the Kurdistan Region, which has been published on the KRG's official website. On August 19, 2010, the former minister of natural resources, Ashti Hawrami, announced at a press conference about the oil reserves in the Kurdistan Region that "There are 45 billion barrels of oil in the Kurdistan Region." According to a 2015 Report by the Door Organization for Kurdistan Oil Information, "The Kurdistan Region has 50 billion barrels of stable oil reserve and 80 billion barrels of unstable oil reserve,", also the press information indicates that Sulaymaniyah’s oil reserves are estimated at more than 36 billion barrels and 65 percent of the region's total oil reserves. Second, the oil blocks of Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, and Garmian administration Of the 57 blocks (oil and gas), 23 oil blocks and 2 gas blocks, are located in the PUK zone borders of Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, and Garmian provinces, where 13 foreign companies now operating in the area. The companies are from (8) the different countries (United States, Russia, Canada, Turkey, Korea, Spain, Australia, and Italy). 1. Betwata block: 650 Squares kilometers, in Sulaymaniyah province, it starts from Hajiawa town and reaches Betwata, Balisan, Khoshnawati.‌ 2. Shakrok block: In Sulaimaniyah province, it starts in the Khedrani district in Dukan until near Shaqlawa. 418 square kilometers. 3. Qaladze block: In Sulaymaniyah province, it covers all Kaladze districts, Marqa, Dukan Lake, and Rania. It is about 2,000 kilometers square. 4. Khalakan block: In Sulaymaniyah province, Kalakan town, Haybat Sultan Mountain, and a part of Koya plain until Little Zab River. 624 square kilometers have (2,450) billion barrels of oil. 5. Piramagrun block: In Sulaimaniyah province, east of Dukan-Sulaymaniyah road and the foothills of Piramagrun mountain till it reaches Dukan town, it is more than 730 square kilometers. 6. Miran block: In Sulaimaniyah province, it starts from Tasluja, west of Dukan-Sulaymaniyah road, including a part of Agjalar, Bazian, and Chamy Razan Resort. It's 1015 square kilometers. Contains two big oil fields; east Miran which is expected to have 1,637 billion barrels of oil, and west Miran, which contains 4,808 billion barrels of oil. 7. Bazian block: In Sulaimaniyah province, Sagarma mountain, west of Bazian, Takia town, and part of Agjalar in Chamchamal district. Its 473 square kilometers, and has 1,178 billion barrels of oil reserve. 8. North Sangawa block: In Garmian. is located north of Sangaw in the Chamchamal district. it contains 6,163 billion barrels of oil in 492 square kilometers. 9. Top xana block, In Garmian. East of Qadir Karam district and Jabari area. Contains 4 billion barrels of oil in 945 square kilometers, despite a large amount of gas. 10. Taza block, In Garmian. Including a part of Nawjul and west of Qadir Karam district. It is expected to be 3 billion in oil and a large amount of gas in 700 square kilometers. 11. Palkana block: In Garmian, Duzkhurmatu, and Jabara districts, which is 529 square kilometers, containing 1.58 billion barrels of oil reserve. 12. Penjwen Block: In Sulaymaniyah province. Extends from the center of Penjwen to the Iranian border, and it is worth mentioning that no investment has been made in this block so far. 13. East Arabat block: in Sulaymaniyah province, it covers Siwail, Barzanja, and a part of Sharazur to Nalparez district in Penjwen district and is 700 km square. 14. Arabat block, in Sulaimaniyah city. Extends from Arabat to New-Halabja District. Including Goizha and Azmar mountain. Its 974 square kilometers contain 1,177 billion barrels of oil. 15. Baranan block: In Sulaymaniyah province, containing south-east of Sulaymaniyah and Baranan mountain until it reaches Darbandikhan lake. It's 722 square kilometers. 16. Qaradagh block: In Sulaymaniyah province, including the Qaradagh area and the east of Sagarma Mountain and west of the Sirwan River to Darbandikhan. it contains 4,896 billion barrels of oil in 846 square kilometers. 17. South Sangawa block: In Garmian, it covers the center of the Sangaw district and its surroundings. It is 846 square kilometers and is expected to have 2 billion barrels of oil and one trillion cubic meters of natural gas. 18. Kordamir block: In Garmian. Located in the south of Sangaw district and the north of the Kalar district until the Sirwan River. contains 5,129 billion barrels of oil reserve in 620 square kilometers. 19. Garmian block: Including the northern district of Kalar, Bawanur, Sarqalla, and Sheikh Tawel. Contains more than 4 billion barrels of oil in 2120 square Kilometers. 20. Shakal block: In the Garmian area, it covers the south of Kalar, Rizgari district, and Kafri district. which contains about 2 billion barrels of oil in 832 square kilometers. 21. Chia Surkh block: In Garmian. Located on the east of the Sirwan River. Extents from Qoratu and Maidan district in Khanaqin until the Iranian border. Contains 5,656 billion barrels of oil in 938 square kilometers. 22. Qara Hanjir block: In Garmian, it is located between Chamchamal and Kirkuk, which Contains Shwan, Qara Hanjir, and the Takai Jabari district. It’s expected to be 5 to 10 billion barrels of oil in 1,200 square Kilometers. 23. Halabja block: in Sulaymaniyah province, it is located in the Halabja district. Contains Khurmal, Sirwan, Biara, Gelejal, Halabja district center, and a part of Sayed Sadiq. Contain an estimated 650 million barrels of oil in about 1000 square kilometers.