Topic: Hussain al-Shahristani

Iraq, China to sign oil deal next week; Norway's DNO halts activity in northern Iraq; infighting delays Iraqi oil contracts; Shell still interested in Iraqi contracts.

Iraqi technical-services contracts in doubt; Iraq increases discount for Jordanian oil exports; Basra oil port reopens; Iraq, Syria agree to pipeline repairs.

Russia's attack on Georgia impacts oil prices; Iraq renews oil deal with China; U.K. firm strikes oil and gas in Hungary.

A veteran Kurdish lawmaker said the deals signed between the Kurdish and Iraqi governments with oil majors are illegal and premature.

Western energy firms invited to bid on Iraqi oil development; U.S. denies involvement in Iraqi oil contracts; Kurdish oil contract model "immensely better."

Iraq opened international bidding for eight oil and gas fields; India will sign an agreement with Cuba; India also talks with Iran and Colombia on cooperation.

Western firms enter Iraqi oil market; United Nations concerned over Iraqi oil revenues; Baghdad disputes over Kurdish oil fields delay production; Iraqi oil law disputes blocking production; Iraq, Iran spar over shared oil fields.

BAGHDAD, June 17 (UPI) -- The Kirkuk oil field in northern Iraq could be producing 70,000 barrels more per day, but a dispute between Iraq's central and Kurdish regional governments has kept the needed equipment gathering dust.

The Iraqi central and Kurdish regional governments are ready to export; Iraq plans to finalize technical oil contracts by the end of June; Iraq in talks to unify oil fields with Kuwait and Iran; Iraqi crude could ease global economic woes, Indian minister says; Iraq renews 2006 oil deal with Jordan.

FAYSH KHABUR, Iraq, June 13 (UPI) -- The pipeline that could pump northern Iraqi oil for export is nearly complete but empty, ending for now in the soil near the borders with Syria and Turkey, on the side of a dirt road.