Drone attack disrupts oil production at oilfield in northern Iraq
The Sarsang field is operated by HKN Energy, a US firm engaged in hydrocarbon exploration headquartered in Texas with operations in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Two hours after the morning attack, HKN Vice President Matthew Zais met with Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani in Baghdad to sign a preliminary agreement for the development of the Hamrin oilfield in northern Iraq, according to the Iraqi oil ministry.
Two hours after the morning attack, HKN Vice President Matthew Zais met with Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani in Baghdad to sign a preliminary deal to develop the Hamrin oil field in northern Iraq, according to Reuters.
Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Baghdad Steven Fagin, who attended the ceremony held to sign the agreement, denounced the drone strikes on oil facilities in Iraqi Kurdistan and encouraged the Iraqi government to investigate the incident and hold perpetrators accountable.
Two engineers told Reuters that production at the Sarsang field was suspended as a precautionary measure following an explosion.
Authorities in Iraq's Kurdistan region verified that the explosion was caused by a drone assault.
One of the engineers working in the oilfield said that billows of smoke were spotted coming from the Sarsang field in the northern Iraqi province of Dohuk.
On Monday, two explosive-laden drones were shot down above the Khurmala oil field in the northern Iraqi province of Erbil at 20:20 and 20:25 local time, respectively.
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