Operations resume at Iraq's Khor Mor gas field after missile attack

Operations at the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan region, suspended four days after a missile attack, have now resumed.

Officials reported that Kurdish authorities and operator Dana Gas reached an agreement to quickly restore supplies to local power plants.

The missile strike on Wednesday night at the Khor Mor field, a critical facility that provides over 80 percent of Kurdistan's electricity and supports the national grid, caused a regional blackout and nationwide power disruptions.

After the missile strike caused significant damage to a storage tank at Khor Mor, Dana Gas ceased operations on Thursday. In response, the Iraqi federal government and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) initiated a joint investigation.

On 29 November, Masrour Barzani, the KRG’s caretaker prime minister, announced an agreement with Dana Gas to restart production within hours and restore electricity. He commended the company’s resilience during the 11 previous attacks on the field.

Barzani assured that the KRG, in cooperation with Baghdad, would hold the perpetrators accountable and implement measures to prevent future attacks.

 Barzani added that the KRG, working with partners in the federal government, would hold those responsible for the attacks accountable and prevent further incidents. He said the KRG is also working with international partners to strengthen protection of critical infrastructure, personnel, and investments.

The KRG electricity ministry said early Sunday that gas transport from the field had resumed and expected power stations to return to normal within 24 hours.

On Friday, Sabah al-Numan, military spokesperson for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, told the Iraqi News Agency that the investigation’s findings were expected within 72 hours. The committee, led by Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari and including senior federal and Kurdish security officials, is supported by the international coalition.

Prime Minister Al-Sudani established this committee on Thursday following the attack.

The United States has supported the development of the Khor Mor gas field. Earlier this year, the US ended Iraq's waiver to buy Iranian gas, aligning with sanctions on Iranian gas and oil exports in an effort to pressure Tehran to restart nuclear negotiations.

Mark Savaya, the US president's special envoy to Iraq, blamed "armed groups operating illegally and driven by hostile foreign agendas" for the strike. He said Washington would help Iraq strengthen its defences. He added, "Every illegal armed group and supporter will be tracked, confronted and held accountable."

He also said the United States supports "a strong Kurdistan within a united and stable Iraq" and urged Baghdad and Erbil to work together to protect key energy infrastructure.

Pearl Petroleum, led by UAE-based Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum, operates the Khor Mor field. The partners are expanding capacity with the KM250 project, aiming to boost processing by 50% to meet growing power needs in Kurdistan and across Iraq.

In 2021, Pearl Petroleum, a joint venture led by Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum, secured a $250 million loan from the US International Development Finance Corporation to expand the Khor Mor gas plant in Iraq's Kurdistan region. The financing supported the KM250 project, designed to increase processing capacity by 50 percent.

On 15 October 2025, the companies announced the start of commercial gas sales from the KM250 expansion, delivered eight months early.

The upgrade adds 250 MMscf/d of capacity, raising total output to 750 MMscf/d to help meet Iraq's growing power demand. The $1.1 billion project was backed by regional and US financing and employed more than 10,000 workers at its peak.