MIDDLE EAST: Iraq halts oil exports to Austrian OMV

Iraq's Oil Ministry has halted oil exports to Austria's OMV in protest at the company's oil deal with the Kurdish Regional Government.

"The ministry's decision has been enforced from first of January. We have informed them (OMV) of that," Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani told reporters.

The OMV spokesman Thomas Huemer did not comment on the ministry's decision, but said the company's two contracts with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) were in line with the Iraqi constitution.

Last November, OMV signed two production-sharing contracts with the KRG for two exploration blocks, Mala Omar and Shorish, in Irbil, which is the capital of the Kurdish region.

Iraq has already suspended an annual contract with South Korea's top refiner SK Energy to export 90,000 barrels per day in response to what it says is an illegal deal between the Korean firm and the Kurdish regional government.

Source: PressTV
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