Yesar Al-Maleki

England

Gulf Editor at MEES - Weekly Oil & Gas News Analysis

Energy, Climate & MENA Economics | Gulf Analyst @MeesEnergy | PhDc @ExeterIAIS, Non Res Scholar @MiddleEastInst, R. Fellow @IRISmideast | ♥️=🔖

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Articles

Russia Fills The Void As Syria’s Oil Supplier

2 weeks ago | mees.com | Yesar Al-Maleki

Syria’s new government has found a new supplier to help relieve its acute fuel shortages and replace part of the approximately 80,000 b/d of crude oil previously sent by Iran to the Assad regime; Russia. But rather than simply replacing Iranian crude oil supplies to Syria’s refineries, Russia is supplying a combination of crude oil and key refined products. The development comes as Russia and Syria are considering a reset in their relationship.
Opec Output Set For Gains After March Decline

2 weeks ago | mees.com | Yesar Al-Maleki

Opec crude oil production fell by 90,000 b/d to 26.87mn b/d for March but is now set to climb this month and next as voluntary cuts begin to be unwound.
Iran: New Year Gasoline Record

2 weeks ago | mees.com | Yesar Al-Maleki

11 Apr 2025 Issue: 68 / 15 By: Yesar Al-Maleki Iranian gasoline consumption during the recent Persian New Year (Nowruz) holiday (from 15 March to 3 April) set a new record of 135mn l/d (848,800 b/d), up nearly 10% year-on-year, according to National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company CEO Keramat Veis Karami. In 5 April comments to oil ministry press outlet Shana, Mr Karami says consumption peaked this holiday on 19 March at 164mn l/d (1.03mn b/d).
Crescent To Drill Iraq Wells

2 weeks ago | mees.com | Yesar Al-Maleki

Sharjah-based Crescent Petroleum said on 10 April that it has completed the first stage of 3D seismic work at its Khashim al-Ahmar/Injana block in Iraq’s Diyala province, providing “the first high-resolution insight into the field’s reservoirs.” The study will inform where appraisal wells will be drilled.
Baghdad Calls For More KRG Talks

2 weeks ago | mees.com | Yesar Al-Maleki

Iraq’s oil ministry has called for a new meeting to discuss the resumption of oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline after talks appeared to collapse in late March (MEES, 4 April).
US-Iran Prepare For Muscat Talks

2 weeks ago | mees.com | Yesar Al-Maleki

All eyes will be on Muscat on 12 April, when senior US and Iranian officials will hold talks over a potential new nuclear deal. The US will be represented by Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, with Iran sending Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. There is uncertainty over whether or not the talks will be direct – US President Donald Trump says yes, Iran insists it will be indirect – but either way, this is a pivotal moment.
Iraq Targets 1.54mn b/d Refining Capacity With Relaunch Of 150,000mn b/d Missan Plans

3 weeks ago | mees.com | Yesar Al-Maleki

Iraq aims to bring its crude distillation capacity to 1.542mn b/d, PM Mohammed al-Sudani said on 30 March. Though he failed to give a specific timeline for achieving this, his comments imply that this is a relatively near-term target. Iraq’s current CDU capacity is level with the end-2024 figure of 1.156mn b/d following 380,000 b/d in additions over 2023-24.
Kurdistan Gridlock Raises Risk Of US Sanctions On Iraq’s Oil Sector

3 weeks ago | mees.com | Yesar Al-Maleki

4 Apr 2025 Issue: 68 / 14 By: Yesar Al-Maleki Talks to resume oil exports from Iraqi Kurdistan were spectacularly derailed last week, when Baghdad’s decision to unilaterally impose the scope of work for an independent consultant was met with fury by IOCs. The move also risks prompting US sanctions.
Kurdistan Set For 2026 Gas Boost

3 weeks ago | mees.com | Yesar Al-Maleki

The UAE’s Crescent Petroleum and Dana Gas announced on 3 April that expected completion of work to add 250mn cfd capacity to the Khor Mor gas field has been brought forward to 1Q 2026. The expansion project for the field in Iraqi Kurdistan, which is currently producing nearly 525mn cfd, had been scheduled for 2Q 2026 (MEES, 7 February). Khor Mor is operated by Crescent Petroleum and Dana Gas on behalf of the Pearl Consortium, which also includes OMV, MOL and RWE.
China’s UEG: Iraq Ever-More Dominant Amid Output Records

3 weeks ago | mees.com | Yesar Al-Maleki |Peter Stevenson

Hong Kong-listed independent United Energy Group (UEG) produced a record 108,000 boe/d on a working interest basis last year, driven by booming production from its Iraq assets. Iraq consolidated its position as the firm’s largest production source last year, ahead of Pakistan, and accounted for more than 50% of its production last year for the first time. The upshot of this is that UEG’s portfolio is also becoming increasingly oil-weighted.