ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Smaller oil companies like Dana Gas continue to report increased production from wells in the Kurdistan Region. Headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, it announced increases in efficiency have boosted production to 70,000 bpd.

"Production in excess of 70,000 barrels oil equivalent per day is a great achievement for Dana Gas. At the start of the year, we planned a drilling programme in Egypt and a debottlenecking project in the KRI that would significantly increase production. We have successfully delivered both projects," said Patrick Allman-Ward, the CEO of Dana Gas in a statement.

The company stated that the ramp-up in production was due to its "debottlenecking project."

"The increase in production will help offset the lower realised hydrocarbon prices that have impacted the oil industry in the last quarter and support growth in our revenue and net profit figures for the full year 2018 and beyond," added Allman-Ward.

Dana Gas stated in a release on Thursday that the 70,000 bpd mark was reached on November 19 "has since been sustained above that level."

More than a year after the Kurdistan Regional Government lost Kirkuk's oil production to Baghdad, Erbil has sought to shore up production through smaller companies.

"We remain excited about the long-term future of our world-class assets in the KRI. Further investment is underway..." added the statement.

Dana Gas operates at the Khor Mor field which is near Chamchamal in Sulaimani province.

Landlocked, the Kurdistan Region had depended on the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline and tanker trucks to export oil. The Ceyhan pipeline has been reopened, but under the auspices of Baghdad's state-owned oil companies.

Iraq exported fewer than 18,000 bpd through the KRG’s pipeline in the first 15 days of resumed exports from Kirkuk, Iraq's oil ministry revealed earlier this month.


Baghdad hopes to bring Kirkuk production back up to pre-October 2017 levels of some 300,000 barrels per day.

The Iraqi government carries massive debts and the closure of the pipeline for a year reportedly cost Baghdad $4-5 billion in revenue.

US Energy Secretary Rick Perry met with Iraqi and Kurdish officials this week in Baghdad and Erbil.

Comparing the Kurdistan Region’s energy resources to his native state of Texas, Perry highlighted the potential for the people of Kurdistan.

“Our opportunity to secure a future of prosperity, of opportunity has never been better,” he said.

Although, no agreements or plans were announced by either party.

The Trump administration granted Iraq a 45-day waiver on Iran energy sanctions on November 5. Iran is Iraq's largest trading partner and the Kurdistan Region's second-largest behind Turkey.

Rudaw