Iraq's North Oil seals development deal with US company
Shafaq News – Kirkuk
On Friday, Iraq’s North Oil Company (NOC) finalized development plans for the Hamrin oil field with United States-based HKN Energy, expanding northern output.
In a statement, NOC Director-General Amer Khalil Ahmed said the plan was completed in the province under Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani’s directives to accelerate field upgrades, noting the ministry is closely tracking the project due to its “strategic value.”
HKN said its partnership with NOC marks a major step in its Iraq portfolio, with joint teams now preparing geological studies, infrastructure work, and drilling sites.
The project is expected to support local economies in Kirkuk and Saladin and advance toward a full development contract under existing agreements with the Oil Ministry, according to the statement.
Hamrin, which spans the Kirkuk–Saladin border, is among several northern fields long earmarked for redevelopment as Iraq seeks to boost output and curb gas flaring.
Oil expert Ali Khalil told Shafaq News that the field holds 1.5–2 billion barrels of recoverable reserves and currently produces 20–25 thousand barrels per day, with plans to lift output to 50–60 thousand barrels and capture 45–50 million cubic feet of associated gas.
Read more: Iraq's gas flaring paradox: a wealth of resources, a nation in need
