A Discussion on Iraq's Draft Hydrocarbon Law with Tariq E. Shafiq

June 12, 2007 • 9:00 – 10:30 am EDT

The Energy Program hosted a discussion with Tariq Shafiq on Iraq's hydrocarbon law. Shafiq, one of the authors of the law and one of the founders of the Iraq National Oil Company (INOC), discussed the importance of the law and impediments to its adoption and implementation.

Shafiq has been working in the oil and gas industry worldwide and in various capacities for 50 years, and is co-author of the January 2007 draft hydrocarbon law with Farouq al-Qasem and Thamir Ghadban. In Iraq, he was one of the founders and directors of the Iraq National Oil Company (INOC), in which he also served as vice chairman and executive director from 1964 to 1967. Prior to this, he served for ten years with the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) in various technical capacities in Iraq and London from 1954 to 1964, including as head of petroleum engineering from 1963 to 1964. He also worked with the Kellog Corporation on the construction of the Dora Refinery in Iraq from 1953 to 1954.