Nov 7 (Reuters) – Iraq asked Kuwait Energy to acquire shares of Turkey‘s state-owned TPAO in its exploration block 9 oilfield after Iraq’s cabinet decided to expel the Turkish company from the project, a senior Iraqi oil official said on Wednesday.

The measure will mean the Kuwait Energy will hold 70 percent of the project and Dragon Oil PLC 30 percent. TPAO holds a 30 percent stake in the block.

“The cabinet rejected the approval of Turkey’s TPAO as a partner,” Abdul Mahdy al-Ameedi, head of Iraq’s contracts directorate, told reporters.
He refused to give any reason for the decision, but the explusion comes at a time of political tensions between Baghdad and Ankara after Turkey accused Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki of siding Sunni Muslims.

REUTERS