BP and other oil companies pulling staff out of Iraqi oilfields; output remains steady

BP, Eni, and TotalEnergies began evacuating their foreign personnel from the Iraqi oilfields in which they operate on Monday, according to state-run Basra Oil Company.

Two oil officials said that the output from Iraq's south oilfields is currently unchanged, with exports of 3.32 million barrels each day.

These measures are in response to the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and clashes that have occurred between Israel and Iran which borders Iraq.

Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi group with ties to Iran, warned that it would re-attack U.S. forces in the area if the United States intervened in Iran.

Basra Oil issued a statement saying that "the companies operating on Basra Oil Company's fields... have temporarily evacuated foreign personnel. BP is one of the operators in Rumaila."

The move will not impact production, it added.

BP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Basra Oil reported that Italy's Eni had reduced its staff from 260 to 98, and the remaining workers were working with local employees.

A spokesperson had said previously that Eni reduced its personnel as a precautionary measure and was monitoring the regional situation.

Basra Oil reported that France's TotalEnergies evacuated 60% its staff, but this did affect operations. The company did not respond to a request for comment.

Basra Oil reported that work continued to go smoothly on the West Qurna/1 Siba and Faihaa field, which is managed by Chinese companies who have not reduced their staff.

The activities of Russia's Lukoil also remained unaffected.

Shell and Chevron, who also operate in Iraq declined to comment. (Francesca Landini, Marwa Rashed, America Hernandez, and Francesca Landini contributed additional reporting from Milan, London, and Paris.

(source: Reuters)