Saudi Aramco to Develop Iraqi Gas Field

Ministers and officials from both Saudi Arabia and Iraq gather at the “Saudi-Iraqi Economic Forum” held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Ministers and officials from both Saudi Arabia and Iraq gather at the “Saudi-Iraqi Economic Forum” held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Aramco to Develop Iraqi Gas Field

Ministers and officials from both Saudi Arabia and Iraq gather at the “Saudi-Iraqi Economic Forum” held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Ministers and officials from both Saudi Arabia and Iraq gather at the “Saudi-Iraqi Economic Forum” held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi oil giant Aramco will develop a gas field in Iraq that could produce more than 400 million cubic feet of gas per day, Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani said on Thursday.

Presently, this field yields 60 million cubic feet of gas, but it is projected to substantially increase its production to over 400 million cubic feet. This surge in output aims to provide Iraq’s national grid with an ample supply of gas required for electricity generation.

Abdel-Ghani revealed that two rounds of licenses have been granted for investment and development purposes in numerous exploration fields situated in both the eastern and western regions of Iraq.

These areas boast significant reserves of natural gas.

Moreover, the minister expressed his keen desire for the involvement of Saudi companies in the advancement of these fields, with the ultimate goal of generating the required gas for electricity production and fulfilling the local demand for this valuable resource.

A recent meeting encompassed several agreements pertaining to energy-related matters, with a prominent focus on the agreement with Saudi Arabia to supply Iraq with up to 1000 megawatts of electrical energy.

Additionally, Saudi companies will undertake the construction of solar power plants in Iraq’s Najaf province. This solar power plant is set to become the largest of its kind in Iraq.

Abdel-Ghani also clarified that an agreement has been reached with Saudi Arabia to establish industrial cities along the shared borders of both countries.

This initiative aims to foster the development of industry and trade for both nations.

Furthermore, discussions were held regarding the Nebras Project, which is one of the largest petrochemical projects in Iraq and the region.

 



Gold Set for Weekly Drop; Traders Await US Inflation Data

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
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Gold Set for Weekly Drop; Traders Await US Inflation Data

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

Gold prices rose on Friday, but were set for a weekly decline after the Federal Reserve signalled a slowdown in rate cuts next year, while focus shifted to a key US inflation print due later in the day.
Spot gold was up 0.5% at $2,606.19 per ounce, as of 0821 GMT, but has lost about 1.5% so far this week.
US gold futures was 0.5% higher at $2,620.60, Reuters said.
Gold is consolidating as "investors await Trump to resume office next year and the Fed will also go meeting by meeting, considering the data development and seeing what is part of Trump's trade policy," said Soni Kumari, a commodity strategist at ANZ.
Investors now await the core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data, the Fed's preferred inflation measure, for further clues on the US economic outlook.
The Fed cut rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday, but the cautious note struck in its economic projections and expected slowdown of rate cuts pushed gold to its lowest level since Nov. 18.
Data showed on Thursday that the US economy grew faster than expected in the third quarter, while jobless claims also slipped more than anticipated, reinforcing expectations that the central bank will take a cautious approach to policy easing.
A slightly more hawkish set of the Fed's regional bank presidents will become voters on its rate-setting panel in 2025, raising the chance that any further rate cuts next year could spur more dissents like the one seen from the head of the Cleveland Fed.
Higher rates dull the appeal of the non-yielding asset.
According to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao, spot gold may retest support at $2,582 per ounce.
Spot silver gained 0.1% to $29.06 per ounce but was headed for its worst week since April.
Platinum dropped 0.2% at $921.50 and palladium rose 0.5% to $910.63. Both the metals were poised for weekly losses.