U.S. Company Announces Resumption of Oil Production in the Kurdistan Region

ARK News.. U.S.-based HKN has officially resumed oil production operations at the Atrosh field in the Kurdistan Region, leading the return of major international oil companies to the region's oil fields after a suspension that lasted more than three years.

According to Kurdish media sources, the past few days have witnessed intensive operational activity. Norway's DNO resumed production at the Tawke and Pishabour fields, followed by Britain's Gulf Keystone at the Sheikhan field.

Hunt Oil has set July 8 as the final date for restarting its facilities, while the remaining companies are preparing to gradually resume operations according to a pre-established timetable and phased plan.

With the return of these companies, the number of active oil fields in the Kurdistan Region will increase to eight major strategic fields: Khurmala, Tawke, Pishabour, Sheikhan, Atrosh, Sarsang, Erbil, and Bijeel-Hareer. This will enable eight out of the eleven companies operating in the region—which had suspended their activities due to the halt in exports—to raise local production to approximately 170,000 barrels per day.

The comprehensive resumption of production represents a significant economic step toward offsetting the substantial financial losses that have affected the Kurdistan Region's public budget and overall economy, as well as the federal government's finances, following the suspension of Kurdistan oil exports through Turkey's Ceyhan port since March 2023, losses that have been estimated at billions of dollars.

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