Oil and Gas in the Iraqi Kurdistan: Geopolitical Connectivity and the Market Realities

Abstract

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) stands as a significant player in the hydrocarbon landscape of the Middle East, necessitating an in-depth analysis of its role in the exportation process to Turkey and Mediterranean ports, thereby fostering economic and political ties and projecting toward the future. Situated as a semi-autonomous entity in northern Iraq, the Kurdistan Region boasts abundant natural gas resources, attracting interest from Russian firms and Turkish stakeholders. However, Iran’s influence in Iraq and the wider region poses a regional threat to the Kurdistan Region’s natural resources. This chapter meticulously examines the oil and gas blocks within the Kurdistan Region amidst the backdrop of transformative global energy market shifts, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian–Ukrainian conflict. Through this lens, it seeks to delineate the Kurdistan Region’s political and economic positioning within the evolving regional order.

Citation

Jabbar, B.J. (2024), "Oil and Gas in the Iraqi Kurdistan: Geopolitical Connectivity and the Market Realities", Deciphering the Eastern Mediterranean's Hydrocarbon Dynamics: Unravelling Regional Shifts, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 63-83. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83608-142-520241005