UAE firm restarts production at Iraq gas plant after drone attack

01 May 2024

A UAE firm announced that it was initiating measures to recommence production from an Iraq gas complex, which had been ceased following a lethal drone strike the previous week.

The Khor Mor complex, owned by a consortium of two United Arab Emirates energy firms, has faced multiple attacks in recent years. However, last Friday's strike marked the first fatal assault, resulting in the deaths of four Yemeni workers and injuring at least eight others.

Dana Gas declared its intention to "temporarily suspend production" at Khor Mor, but later reversed this decision.

According to a statement published on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange on Wednesday, Dana Gas and its partners have begun the process of resuming production from the Khor Mor field. They emphasised implementing new measures gradually to enhance the safety of all personnel and facilities.

The strike disrupted gas supply to regional power plants, causing a loss of 2,500 megawatts (MW) of electricity, as stated by authorities.

Dana Gas attributed the decision to resume production to "tangible actions" taken by the government of Iraq and the Kurdistan regional government to bolster defences at the Khor Mor site.

Situated between the cities of Kirkuk and Sulaimaniyah, the Khor Mor gas field falls within an area governed by the Kurdish authorities.

In January, rockets targeted the gas field, resulting in a fire but no casualties. During that period, pro-Iranian Iraqi armed groups were attacking military bases housing US forces in Iraq and neighboring Syria.

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