Peregraf
A drone attack targeted the Khor Mor gas field in Chamchamal this evening, according to a source speaking to Peregraf. The attack produced a loud explosion, but no damage was reported.
Ramk Ramazan, the governor of Chamchamal, told Peregraf that the incident occurred at 7 p.m. The explosion took place at the condensate tanks, but no casualties were reported. The investigation is ongoing.
The KRG Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed the drone attack, stating in a press release: “A drone attack targeted the Khor Mor gas field at 7:05 p.m. today, causing no damage to the field or Dana Gas Company. Gas production remains normal, and gas pressure to power plants is unaffected. The damage is being assessed.”
The UAE-based Dana Gas operates the Khor Mor field, which has been repeatedly attacked over the past two years. One of the deadliest incidents occurred on April 26, 2024, when two drones struck the site, killing four Yemeni workers.
As the largest natural gas producer in the Kurdistan Region, Khor Mor supplies power plants in Erbil, Chamchamal, and Bazian and provides most of the gas used for heating and cooking in the region.
Iraq has been increasingly relying on Khor Mor to reduce its dependence on Iranian gas, particularly as U.S. sanctions on Iran complicate energy imports. Meanwhile, Turkey has shown interest in the field, a topic that was discussed in Ankara in 2023 during a meeting between Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
To facilitate gas exports to Turkey, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Ministry of Natural Resources has initiated a project to construct a gas pipeline from Khor Mor to Turkey. However, the move has sparked strong opposition from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which has voiced concerns over the economic and political implications of the project.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the latest attack, the repeated targeting of Khor Morraises ongoing security concerns about energy infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region and its impact on Iraq’s gas independence and regional energy politics.