APIKUR Condemns Attacks on Kurdistan Region Oil Fields

APIKUR said the attacks endangered the lives of both Iraqi and expatriate workers and caused damage to key oil field infrastructure.

The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) has strongly condemned recent drone attacks on oil production sites operated by its member companies in the Kurdistan Region, which occurred on July 15 and 16. In a statement released Wednesday, APIKUR said the attacks endangered the lives of both Iraqi and expatriate workers and caused damage to key oil field infrastructure. “These attacks threatened the lives and safety of our predominantly Iraqi workforce and expatriate staff of various nationalities, and also damaged facilities,” the statement read. In response to the attacks, APIKUR members — including companies that were not directly targeted — have suspended oil production, resulting in a loss of over 200,000 barrels per day. The association called on both the federal government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to intensify efforts to protect personnel and energy infrastructure. “APIKUR calls on the Government of Iraq and the KRG to take additional measures to ensure the safety and security of our staff and facilities,” the group said. Myles B. Caggins III, spokesman for APIKUR, reaffirmed the industry’s commitment to resuming operations. “Our member companies are committed to resume oil production and sales as soon as possible. And we stand ready to put our oil into the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline once agreement is reached between Baghdad, Erbil and the companies,” he stated. The attacks come amid ongoing negotiations between the Iraqi federal government, the KRG, and international oil companies over the resumption of oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline, which has remained idle since early 2023 due to legal and political disputes.