Iraq oil minister meets Chevron in Washington to lure US energy investment

WASHINGTON, United States — WASHINGTON — Iraq's Oil Minister Baysan Mohammed Hadeyr al-Abbadi met with Chevron in Washington to advance cooperation on key southern oil fields, the head of the Basra Oil Company said. Bassam Abdulkarim Nasser, who led the Basra Oil Company delegation to the U.S. capital alongside a team accompanying Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaydi, said the talks covered development of the West Qurna 2 field and the Nasiriyah field, exploration licenses and work at the Balad field. Modernization of Iraq's oil export pipelines to ensure uninterrupted shipments was also on the agenda, according to Nasser. He added that Abbadi is making an intensive effort to draw major American oil companies to Basra. The Iraqi delegation is scheduled to meet additional U.S. energy companies in Houston in the coming days. During the meeting, Abbadi stressed training for Basra Oil Company staff, local hiring and infrastructure investment in communities surrounding the operating sites. No further details were immediately available.