Key Facts
• June 2025: Tensions rise in the Middle East after U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
• BP, TotalEnergies, and Eni reduce staff at Iraq oilfields as a precautionary measure.
• Iraq produces 4.1 million barrels of oil daily, second in OPEC after Saudi Arabia.
• BP co-manages the Rumaila oilfield, one of the largest globally, with PetroChina.
• Basra Oil Company confirms no impact on production; local staff manage operations remotely.
• Chinese and Russian companies operating in southern Iraq maintain normal staffing levels.
• TotalEnergies and BP declined to comment; Eni confirmed staff reduction at Zubair oilfield on June 23.
Summary
Amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, European oil giants BP, TotalEnergies, and Eni have temporarily reduced staff at Iraq oilfields as a precaution. Despite this, Iraq’s Basra Oil Company reported no disruptions to production, with local personnel and remote operators ensuring smooth operations. Iraq, OPEC’s second-largest oil producer, generates 4.1 million barrels of oil daily. While BP and TotalEnergies refrained from commenting, Eni confirmed the staff reduction at the Zubair oilfield on June 23. Meanwhile, Chinese and Russian companies operating in southern Iraq have not altered their staffing levels, maintaining normal operations.
