Iraq’s Khor Mor gas field halted after drone attack

BAGHDAD: A suspected drone attack in Iraq has halted production at the Khor Mor gas field, one of the largest in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, joint operator Dana Gas said on Monday.

UAE-based Dana Gas said it was assessing the damage after extinguishing a fire sparked by the attack which occurred on Sunday. It said no staff were injured in the incident.

Two sources in the region’s electricity ministry said a single drone strike hit an LPG storage tank, causing the fire. Smoke was seen rising from the field, two security sources added.

Employees at the field were evacuated to shelters at the site, the ministry sources added.

The field has faced several drone attacks and disruptions to output since 2022 which Kurdish officials have blamed on militias.

There was no claim of responsibility for Sunday’s attack.

About 2.8 gigawatts of power generation was suspended due to the latest attack, the region’s electricity ministry said in a statement. Witnesses said that caused a severe shortage of power as well as LPG cooking gas in key cities in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Investigating origin of attack

Preliminary information indicates the drone was launched from areas east of the city of Tuz Khurmatu, around 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Khor Mor, two Iraqi security sources with knowledge of the situation said.

An ongoing investigation has so far ruled out the possibility that it originated in Iran, they said.

All the sources spoke on condition of anonymity.

In a joint statement, the region’s natural resources and electricity ministries described the incident as a “terrorist attack” and said they were working to minimise its impact.

The Kurdistan Regional Government exercises autonomy in northern Iraq, where it maintains close ties with Washington, underpinned by significant US investments in its energy sector.