Politics

U.S. Stresses Importance of Kurdistan Region’s Energy Resources

The statements reflect a new U.S. stress on the significance of energy supplies from the Kurdistan Region.

The photo shows the meeting between Kurdistan Region's Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Assistant Secretary Geoffrey Pyatt and the accompanying delegation. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
The photo shows the meeting between Kurdistan Region's Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Assistant Secretary Geoffrey Pyatt and the accompanying delegation. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
World Geoffrey Pyatt PM Masrour Barzani US-KRG Relations Energy Sector Kurdistan oil and gas

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan 24) –U.S. officials, speaking on Thursday in both Erbil and Washington, stressed the importance of developing and exploiting the energy potential of the Kurdistan Region, as Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, Geoffrey Pyatt, visited Erbil, after first visiting Baghdad.

Read More: U.S. Energy Envoy visits Baghdad, Erbil; Follows Up on Visits of Iraqi, Kurdish PMs to Washington

Meeting with senior officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), as well as prominent figures in the local energy industry, Pyatt had high praise for Kurdish efforts regarding energy production.

Similarly, In Washington, Deputy State Department Spokesperson, Vedant Patel, emphasized the importance of the energy resources of the Kurdistan Region.

The statements reflect a new U.S. stress on the significance of energy supplies from the Kurdistan Region. Earlier U.S. ties with the Kurdistan Region were driven, in significant part, by the need to fight ISIS, and the Peshmerga were key partners in that joint struggle.

The U.S. remains committed to the fight against ISIS, but it is no longer the pressing matter it once was.

The new U.S. stress on Kurdish energy resources is driven, in part, by the decrease in international oil supplies, because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting Western boycott.

Iit is also driven by the Biden administration’s belated recognition that Tehran was not interested in renewing the 2015 nuclear deal, as the administration had originally expected. 

Rather, the Biden administration has come to see Tehran as a major source of instability. Hence, its adoption of a containment strategy, including the effort to counter Tehran’s influence in Iraq and elsewhere.

Read More: Biden: Need to Contain ‘Threat Posed by Iran’

Asst Sec Pyatt in Erbil: Kurdistan Region’s ‘Energy Development is Vital’

Following a meeting with KRG Prime Minister, Masrour Barzani, Pyatt tweeted, “Outstanding follow-up conversation with KRG Prime Minister Barzani after our February 26 meeting in Washington.” 

“The IKR’s energy development is vital for Iraq’s energy independence and security,” he said.

Barzani and Pyatt also toured several energy facilities in the Kurdistan Region, including the Pirdawd and Khurmala power stations. 

“These plants provide power to Iraqi people w/less impact on climate, thanks to gas capture & combined cycle conversions,” Pyatt tweeted. 

They also toured the facilities of the KAR Group, headed by Baz Karim Barzinji. In 2022, Barzanji’s house was attacked by six Iranian ballistic missiles, as Tehran claimed it had struck a Mossad base, which was vehemently denied by both Barzinji and the KRG.

Read More: KAR group CEO invites Iranian Ambassador to visit his house destroyed by missile attack

The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Alina Romanowski, who accompanied Pyatt, tweeted, “Using gas capture and combined cycle tech, KAR shows the potential of IKR industry to help meet Iraq’s energy needs and achieve energy autonomy.”

They also met with Ahmad Ismail, Chairman of the Mass Group, which “powers huge portions of IKR and Baghdad, with less climate impact, using General Electric combined cycle tech,” Romanowski tweeted.

Pyatt had met with the KRG Prime Minister earlier, in February, when Barzani visited Washington. While in Erbil, Pyatt made a point of inviting Barzani for a return visit to Washington.

State Dept: We’re Encouraging Baghdad ‘To Better Integrate’ IKR’s Gas Resources into ‘Energy Independence Plans’

The issue of Pyatt’s meetings in Iraq also arose in Thursday’s State Department briefing. 

Asked about Pyatt’s travels, Patel replied, “Pyatt’s visit reflects the important strides that we believe Iraq has made to secure its energy independence.”

“These efforts” Patel continued, “are important for Iraq to end Iranian natural gas imports and to meet its climate commitments.”

Pyatt, he also explained, is “encouraging the federal government to better integrate the IKR’s gas resources into its overall energy plans.”

Patel affirmed that Iraq was making progress. “Over the past decade, Iraq has doubled its electricity generation,” and in March, it “activated its electricity interconnection with Jordan,” which Pyatt also visited on this trip.

Patel noted, in addition, that Iraqi natural gas capture projects would come into operation this year, further alleviating its energy shortage.

Finally, Patel repeated an earlier statement made by the State Department in announcing Pyatt’s trip which explained that the U.S. is, in fact, pushing for a resumption of Kurdish oil exports.

“We continue to engage directly—with officials in Baghdad, officials in Ankara, officials in Erbil, as well as with U.S. companies that are affected by the stoppage – on reopening the ITP [Iraq-Turkey] pipeline.”

That is “a common interest of ours,” Patel concluded.

Laurie Mylroie ,
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