Why The U.S. Is Racing To Lock Down Iraq’s Most Explosive Geopolitical Gas Prize

Iraq wants to raise production from the Akkas gas field nearly tenfold, from 43 MMscfd today to 400 MMscfd by 2030.

energy push into Iraq, including major ...

Home Oil Prices Oil Futures Rig Count Energy Energy-General Oil Prices Crude Oil Heating Oil Gas Prices Natural Gas Coal Company News Interviews Geopolitics Alternative Energy Nuclear Power Solar Energy Hydroelectric Renewable Energy Geothermal Energy Wind Power Fuel Cells Tidal Energy Biofuels Environment Global Warming Oil Spills Company News Breaking News Premium Articles My Account Get Exclusive Intel All Prices OPEC Blends Canadian Blends U.S.

Blends WTI Crude • 11 mins 95.20 +1.06 +1.13% Brent Crude • 11 mins 106.4 +0.74 +0.70% Murban Crude • 16 mins 110.6 -1.67 -1.49% Natural Gas • 11 mins 3.292 +0.009 +0.27% Heating Oil • 11 mins 4.951 +0.016 +0.33% Gasoline • 11 mins 3.253 +0.003 +0.10% Click Here for 150+ Global Oil Prices Gasoline • 11 mins 3.253 +0.003 +0.10% Heating Oil • 11 mins 4.951 +0.016 +0.33% WTI Midland • 5 hours 95.24 +0.42 +0.44% Opec Basket • 1 day 112.3 -1.73 -1.52% Indian Basket • 7 days 121.1 +3.47 +2.95% Click Here for 150+ Global Oil Prices Simon Watkins is a former senior FX trader and salesman, financial journalist, and best-selling author.

He was Head of Forex Institutional Sales and Trading for… Sharing its eastern border with Iran, its northern border with Turkey, its western border with Syria and Jordan, and its southern border with Saudi Arabia, Iraq is arguably the single most geopolitically important country to the U.S., China, and Russia in the entire Middle East.

In turn, the lawless western desert province of Anbar is perhaps the most geopolitically vital area in Iraq, and the most strategically important asset in Anbar is the huge Akkas gas field.

With the new Iraqi Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, having taken office on 16 May and showing every sign of being open to new Western energy initiatives across the country, U.S.

firms have positioned themselves centre-stage to take control of the Akkas field’s development.

So, what are their key objectives here and how do they aim to achieve them?