Shafaq News – Kirkuk

Iraq has begun drilling in the Kifri-A oil and gas field for the first time in more than 30 years.

Sources in the state-run North Oil Company told Shafaq News that access roads and facilities for technical teams have been completed, and drilling rigs are being deployed at the site along the Kirkuk–Baghdad–Diyala corridor.

The Ministry of Oil signed a contract in June to explore and develop the field as part of a program to drill 15 exploratory wells across the country. The agreement involves the Iraqi Drilling Company, the Oil Exploration Company, and the North Oil Company.

Oil analyst Ali Abdullah said the move could strengthen Iraq’s position in regional energy markets. “Kifri-A is one of the important fields that can add to both oil and gas reserves,” he noted, adding that confirmed results would support Iraq’s medium- and long-term energy security.

Oil revenues provide more than 90 percent of Iraq’s national budget, leaving the economy highly exposed to price volatility. Abdullah pointed out that developing untapped reserves like Kifri-A is central to reducing that risk and securing future supply.

In a previous statement, Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani has described the drilling program as a key pillar of the government’s energy strategy, while Deputy Minister for Extraction Affairs Bassem Mohammed Khazair said the Kifri well is expected to yield light crude and associated gas once production begins.