Shafaq News- Basra

Dozens of engineering, technical, and administrative workers at the West Qurna 2 oilfield in Iraq’s Basra, who protested on Tuesday over employment contracts and unpaid dues, threatened a general strike unless their demands are addressed within a week.

Protest representative Mushriq Abdul Moneim told Shafaq News that they are seeking formal contracts guaranteeing employment rights under terms similar to those previously offered by Russia’s Lukoil, as well as payment of outstanding sums owed by the Basra Oil Company.

The company and the consortium operating West Qurna 2 have been notified of the demands and the one-week deadline, with Abdul Moneim warning that failure to settle could halt production and exports.

Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudhair on Monday sought Cabinet approval to appoint petroleum institute graduates from the 2023–2025 classes and grant permanent employment to contract and daily-wage staff at state oil companies. The proposal aims to fill engineering, technical, and operational vacancies.

Read more: As protests multiply, Iraqis ask whether the street still moves the state

West Qurna 2, one of Iraq’s largest oilfields, holds estimated reserves of about 14 billion barrels and accounts for roughly 10% of the country’s oil production, according to energy news platform Attaqa. The field currently produces around 450,000 barrels per day, while Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani said output under Chevron’s management could rise to between 750,000 and 800,000 bpd.