Iraq signed a major contract with US oilfield services company Schlumberger on Tuesday to develop the Akkas gas field, as the country seeks to boost domestic gas production.
Under the deal, Schlumberger will drill wells at the Akkas field, aiming to raise production levels to 100 million standard cubic feet per day, the country's Oil Minister, Hayan Abdel Ghani, said after the signing ceremony.
The production target from the field, in the western province of Anbar, is estimated at 400 million standard cubic feet per day, from the current 40 million level, he added, without giving a timetable.
“This is a long-awaited and big achievement,” the minister said. Additional contracts will be signed to build surface installations and lay pipelines connecting the wells to central processing units, he added.
The gas produced at Akkas will be used to fuel the Anbar combined cycle power plant, which is under construction by the Ministry of Electricity, Mr Abdel Ghani said.
Rights to develop the field were first awarded to South Korea's state-run Korea Gas in 2010. Kogas signed a deal to develop it in 2011 but withdrew when the field was captured by ISIS, then retaken by Baghdad in late 2017.
In 2024, Ukraine’s Ukrzemresurs was contracted to develop the field, but the government terminated the deal months later due to delays.
Despite being Opec’s second-biggest producer, Iraq is dependent on Iran for about a third of its electricity needs. It buys 50 million cubic metres of natural gas and 500 megawatts of electricity a day from Iran.
Baghdad has been under pressure from the US to wean itself off Iranian energy imports, which have been subject to US sanctions since 2018.
In recent years, Iraq has taken measures to develop its natural gas resources and reduce the shortfalls in the electricity sector. The country's natural gas reserves stand at about 3,714 billion cubic metres, according to oil ministry figures.
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The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Everton%20Fixtures
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Score
Third Test, Day 1
New Zealand 229-7 (90 ov)
Pakistan
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
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Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SE%20(second%20generation)
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