WesternZagros joins the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The privately held American owned company WesternZagros with offices in Calgary, Canada, and in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on Thursday joined the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), that includes several oil companies.

“WesternZagros joins fellow American APIKUR members, Hunt Oil and HKN Energy, which together represent over $5 billion of American investment by these companies in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI),” APIKUR said.

WesternZagros has invested over $1 billion in oil and gas exploration and production in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region since 2005, also making oil and gas discoveries.

So far, APIKUR members produce more than 50 percent of all oil in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. WesternZagros holds two Production Sharing Contracts in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, outlining the framework for the exploration and production of both crude oil and natural gas.

These agreements establish the fiscal parameters governing the development of oil and natural gas fields within the Kurdamir and Garmian Blocks, with separate contracts dedicated to each specific block.

“APIKUR’s voice is stronger with the addition of WesternZagros” said Myles B. Caggins III, APIKUR spokesman.

“All APIKUR member companies share the same goal of resuming full oil production and exports for the benefit of stakeholders, employees, and the economy of Iraq.” APIKUR members encourage all parties to reach a commercial resolution that preserves their contractual rights and enhances the future investment climate of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.”

Read More: Foreign oil companies express readiness to resume oil exports

The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) on Tuesday said its members are ready to meet with Iraqi government and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials to discuss the resumption of oil exports.

However, they complained they have “neither been included in these (recent) meetings nor been invited to participate in any future meetings between the KRG and GOI (Government of Iraq).”

The export of Kurdish oil through the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline has been halted since March 25 after Iraq claimed victory against Türkiye at a Paris-based international court for allowing the KRG to independently export its oil.

So far, talks between Iraqi, Kurdish and Turkish officials to resume the oil exports have not resulted in a breakthrough.