Baghdad reaches agreement with BP to develop Kirkuk field

Kurdistan rejects any agreement to develop Kirkuk fields if not consulted with it and obtain its approval.

The minister, Abdul Karim al-Laebee told reporters on the sidelines of a forum of Asian energy ministers in Seoul that Iraq reached an agreement with BP develop Kirkuk oil field.

The Iraqi minister did not give any details of the agreement and whether Baghdad has consulted Kurdistan or not.

BP is negotiating with Baghdad on the field for more than a year, as earlier reports had indicated that the British company will spend 100 million $ to help stop the collapse of the production of Kirkuk fields and make surveys to have a clear picture of the field.

A small group of 30 people from the company will visit Kirkuk after signing the contract.

The production has declined in this field- which is dated to 78 years ago-to about 280 thousand barrels per day after it was 900 thousand since years ago, after years of pumping water and dumping unwanted products in this field.

Iraq has signed contracts with international companies since 2009 to develop fields, but Kirkuk field stayed away from agreements because of conflicts between Baghdad and Erbil.