Iraqi Official: Iranians Seized Iraqi Oil Well
By HASSAN HAFIDH
Iranian forces have occupied a southern Iraqi oil well in a disputed section of the border after opening fire against Iraqi oil workers, an official from state-run Missan Oil Co. said.
"Two weeks ago around 10 to 11 Iranian troops occupied well 4 in al-Fukka oil field after Iraqi oil workers started work in the well near the border," the official who is familiar with the story said.
The official said Iranian troops opened fire against the workers who fled the worksite immediately. The fire caused no casualties, he said. Then the troops occupied the well and raised Iranian flag around the well, he added.
Local authorities of Missan governorate told the oil workers to suspend their work until the problem resolved through diplomatic channels with Iran, he added.
"We called upon the Iraqi government in Baghdad to protect our wealth resources from Iranian continuous incursions," the official said.
Well 4 lies in the Fukka field, part of a cluster of fields Iraq unsuccessfully put up for auction to oil majors in June. The field has estimated reserves of 1.55 million barrels.
The incident came only few weeks after officials from the oil ministries of both countries met in Baghdad and discussed oil and gas fields near the two countries' shared border.
Iraq had accused Iran of siphoning crude oil from fields near its border with Iran, namely Abu Gharb and al-Fukka, both located in Missan province. Iraq also accused Iran last year of preventing Iraqi oil technicians from developing the Abu Gharb field.
After the 2003, U.S.-led invasion, Iran seized six wells in the Abu Gharb oil field, saying they were on disputed territory and should be sealed until the border dispute was settled, Iraqi oil officials said.
Last year, Iraq's integrity commission, an independent official body that checks government corruption, accused Iran of seizing more than 15 wells in the al-Teeb border in southern Iraq.
Iran had denied these accusations.
By HASSAN HAFIDH
Iranian forces have occupied a southern Iraqi oil well in a disputed section of the border after opening fire against Iraqi oil workers, an official from state-run Missan Oil Co. said.
"Two weeks ago around 10 to 11 Iranian troops occupied well 4 in al-Fukka oil field after Iraqi oil workers started work in the well near the border," the official who is familiar with the story said.
The official said Iranian troops opened fire against the workers who fled the worksite immediately. The fire caused no casualties, he said. Then the troops occupied the well and raised Iranian flag around the well, he added.
Local authorities of Missan governorate told the oil workers to suspend their work until the problem resolved through diplomatic channels with Iran, he added.
"We called upon the Iraqi government in Baghdad to protect our wealth resources from Iranian continuous incursions," the official said.
Well 4 lies in the Fukka field, part of a cluster of fields Iraq unsuccessfully put up for auction to oil majors in June. The field has estimated reserves of 1.55 million barrels.
The incident came only few weeks after officials from the oil ministries of both countries met in Baghdad and discussed oil and gas fields near the two countries' shared border.
Iraq had accused Iran of siphoning crude oil from fields near its border with Iran, namely Abu Gharb and al-Fukka, both located in Missan province. Iraq also accused Iran last year of preventing Iraqi oil technicians from developing the Abu Gharb field.
After the 2003, U.S.-led invasion, Iran seized six wells in the Abu Gharb oil field, saying they were on disputed territory and should be sealed until the border dispute was settled, Iraqi oil officials said.
Last year, Iraq's integrity commission, an independent official body that checks government corruption, accused Iran of seizing more than 15 wells in the al-Teeb border in southern Iraq.
Iran had denied these accusations.