Why The U.S. Is Racing To Lock Down Iraq’s Most Explosive Geopolitical Gas Prize
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…
The United States is actively working to secure Iraq's Akkas gas field, which holds significant geopolitical importance. Located in the western desert province of Anbar, Akkas is the most vital asset in the region and a strategic target for Western energy firms. With the new Iraqi Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, open to new Western energy initiatives, U.S. companies have taken the lead in developing the Akkas field.
Iraq's government aims to increase Akkas' production to 400 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) by 2030, a tenfold increase from its current output of 43 MMscfd. An interim target is 143 MMscfd by mid-2027, which is already being achieved through a contract with Western multinational SLB. To reach these targets, the Oil Ministry recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a consortium of U.S. companies, including ConocoPhillips, TI Capital, and Novaterra Energy.
These companies plan to assess the exploration and development potential of the Akkas site and surrounding areas, redevelop five producing oil fields in the Kirkuk area, and construct a crude oil pipeline from Kirkuk to the Syrian Mediterranean port of Baniyas. This pipeline, with a targeted capacity of 2 million barrels per day, will enable Iraq to export crude oil directly to European and global markets via the Mediterranean.
Novaterra Energy also signed an agreement with the state-owned Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC) to rebuild its damaged gas infrastructure, aiming to increase gas output by 4 to 5 million cubic meters per day within a year. These developments align with a broader strategy to isolate Iran from the Middle East and increase U.S. and UK investment in the region, similar to China's Belt and Road Initiative.
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