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Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Regional Government’s decision to advance two high-value gas development deals has reignited deep-seated tensions with Baghdad over natural resource control—this time centered around two of Iraq’s most promising fields: Miran and Topkhana.
In mid-May, the KRG signed contracts with US-based energy firms HKN Energy and WesternZagros to develop the fields located in al-Sulaymaniyah province.
The agreements, valued in the tens of billions of dollars, were announced during an official visit of PM Masrour Barzani to Washington. Erbil presented the deals as a strategic leap toward energy security, economic growth, and stronger ties with the United States.
The Miran and Topkhana-Qardagh fields are among Iraq’s most gas-rich undeveloped assets. Together, they are estimated to hold between 15 and 17 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas, with total reserves—recoverable and non-recoverable—reaching up to 28 trillion cubic feet. The Miran field alone is believed to contain more than 11 trillion cubic feet of extractable gas.
Abdullah Youssef, an economist specializing in Iraq’s energy sector, described Miran as “one of the richest gas fields in Iraq,” telling Shafaq News that it is capable of producing over 500 million cubic feet per day.
“The size of the reserves puts it among the most strategic undeveloped assets in the region,” he said, adding that Topkhana offers equally transformative potential. “This field can support Iraq’s national gas network once it’s linked to federal infrastructure.”
Baghdad Pushes Back
Within days of the announcement, Iraq’s federal oil ministry issued a sharp rebuttal, labeling the KRG’s contracts “legally invalid,” citing Federal Supreme Court rulings in cases 59/2012 and 110/2019 to argue that the federal government holds exclusive authority over oil and gas contracts.
“Such agreements fall strictly under the jurisdiction of the federal government,” Oil Minister Hayan Abdul-Ghani told Shafaq News, emphasizing that resource management must occur transparently through federal institutions.
Bypassing Baghdad, he warned, not only violates the constitution but also disrupts revenue-sharing frameworks.
The ministry’s objections extended beyond the agreements themselves. It also rejected KRG-led development efforts in two gas-rich areas of al-Sulaymaniyah, stating that unilateral investment in these fields would not be recognized by federal authorities.
In response, the Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Natural Resources defended the contracts as both lawful and previously approved by Iraqi courts.
“These agreements are lawful and were approved through judicial processes,” the ministry stated, clarifying that the current announcement reflects a shift in operational partners, not a departure from legal precedent.
Erbil maintained that the development of the fields is necessary to meet growing domestic energy demand and reduce dependence on imported gas, arguing that it holds constitutional authority to manage natural resources within its territory, particularly those it developed or explored independently before national legislation existed.
That position was echoed during the Washington signing ceremony, where KRG officials and American business representatives described the deals as a vote of confidence in the region’s investment environment and institutional stability.
Legal Ambiguity, Constitutional Gaps
At the center of the dispute lies a long-standing legal gray zone, reflecting deeper constitutional ambiguity that has plagued federal–regional relations for years.
Both Baghdad and the KRG cite the Iraqi constitution to support their positions. The federal government references Article 111, which declares oil and gas the property of all Iraqis, and Article 112, which grants the federal government authority to manage production from current fields.
Federal Court decisions in 2012 and 2019 have reinforced this interpretation, granting Baghdad exclusive rights over contract approvals.
The KRG, in contrast, points to Articles 115 and 121, which grant regional governments control over areas not explicitly assigned to federal authorities—including pre-existing fields. Officials argue that in the absence of a national hydrocarbons law, Erbil has the right to manage resources within its jurisdiction.
However, Youssef warned that unresolved legal and political gridlock could significantly harm Iraq’s economy and energy security.
“Delaying the investment process in Miran and Topkhana will directly affect gas production and electricity generation,” he told Shafaq News, noting that continued disputes will likely push Iraq to increase its reliance on expensive gas imports, especially from neighboring countries.
“This will place a greater financial burden on the state and hinder economic development, particularly in the energy sector,” he said.
Youssef emphasized that the ripple effects would extend far beyond technical metrics. “Electricity supply will suffer, public services will decline, and ultimately, the citizen will bear the cost.”
He also cautioned that ongoing legal ambiguity could deter global investment. “The dispute may limit the willingness of international companies to operate in Iraq. Investors do not move toward contested, unstable, or legally ambiguous zones.”
The presence of two US firms—HKN Energy and WesternZagros—at the center of the dispute adds a diplomatic layer to the conflict.
Should Baghdad escalate its opposition or pursue legal avenues to halt implementation, it risks straining not only relations with Erbil but potentially with Washington as well.
From an investor’s perspective, the Miran and Topkhana deals send mixed signals. On one hand, they indicate that major international players still see potential in Iraq’s energy sector. On the other hand, Baghdad’s legal threats and the absence of a unified resource law could reinforce perceptions of regulatory instability.
The Road Ahead
The Miran and Topkhana fields represent more than untapped energy—they symbolize the battle over federalism in Iraq.
In 2023, Iraq won an international arbitration case against Turkiye, resulting in the suspension of Kurdish oil exports through the Ceyhan port. That episode dealt a heavy blow to the KRG’s economy and highlighted Baghdad’s growing willingness to assert control through legal and diplomatic means.
While Baghdad sees the KRG’s unilateral contracts as a threat to national unity and legal order, Erbil views federal resistance as an infringement on regional rights and an obstacle to development.
The paths forward remain limited and politically charged. Baghdad may attempt to block the contracts through legal challenges or budgetary restrictions, while the KRG may proceed regardless, testing the limits of federal authority while banking on tacit support from the US or other international actors.
A mediated compromise remains possible, with some lawmakers and diplomats calling for neutral intervention. Others have renewed efforts to pass a long-delayed national hydrocarbons law that could provide clarity and a shared legal foundation, yet deep political divisions continue to block progress.
What is clear, as Abdullah Youssef emphasized, is that “success in investing in these resources requires political and legal agreement that guarantees the rights of all parties and achieves sustainable development.”
English (US) ·