KURDS HAVE NO FRIENDS IN TEHRAN : Iran looks for oil on Kurdistan Region border

22.11.2013 – Bestun Kakayi – BasNews (Iran): Iran has started oil exploration projects on the border with Iraqi Kurdistan. Experts warn this will affect the Kurdish region’s oil reserve level.

According to Iranian media, Iran’s energy authorities have changed their country’s oil and gas policy; these changes have lead to the planned projects near the Iraqi Kurdish border. Last week Iranian media revealed that Iran’s national oil company signed a contract to work in a pol development project in the Iranian Kurdistan region.

“Sarpilie Zahaw, Qassri Shireen and Islam Awa (Iranian Kurdistan areas near the border with KRG) have great potential in terms of oil reserve,” said Hurmuz Qalawandi, head of oil exploration in the Iranian national oil company (INOC).      

A local Iranian website last week revealed that in the eastern Iranian region, Iran has developed a natural gas field that has close to 260 billion meter square of natural gas reserve. “There is an international law that could be used if Kurdistan were to have a problem with what the Iranians are doing. The Iraqi government and Kuwait could both experience the same problems as Kurdistan,” said Qassem Mashqatti, a Kurdish MP in the Iraqi Parliament. The Kurdish MP says that any country that develops oil fields close to a border with another country is obligated to obtain the neighbor’s permission. “If KRG isn’t happy about Iran developing oil and gas fields close to its borders, they should direct their concerns to Iran through the Iraqi government,” Mashqatti told BasNews. Kurdistan is rich in oil and gas and over the last couple of years they has moved to develop its hydrocarbon resources. There are currently over 50 international energy companies working in the region including US giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron.

http://www.basnews.net/en/News/Details/Iran-looks-for-oil-on-Kurdistan-Region-border/6366