A member of the Iraqi parliament's Oil and Gas Committee said the oil and gas law will not be passed during the current session of parliament, and the discussion around it is merely for the election campaign.

Nazim al-Shibli, a member of the Committee, told Channel8 that "the oil and gas law will be discussed in the sixth session of the Iraqi parliament." 

Al-Shibli stated that the bill has been pending for more than 19 years and this session of parliament does not have time to pass it.

Law to Regulate Exports, Prevent Illegal Sales

He remarked the committee is close to passing the bill, which is considered the most important of the 150 bills. 

According to him, the law will regulate oil exports and prevent illegal sales outside SOMO.

Current Discussions Driven by Elections

"Raising the issue of the oil and gas law at this time is only an election campaign," the Committee member added. 

New Phase in Erbil–Baghdad Relations

Referring to the tripartite oil agreement, he emphasized that following that deal, relations between Erbil and Baghdad have entered a new stage, which will pave the way for the drafting of a comprehensive law.

Law Stalled by Political Disputes

For nearly 20 years, Iraq's oil and gas law has been suspended due to political differences, as four drafts have been prepared so far.  This is despite the fact that the Iraqi constitution clearly defines the framework for the management of this national asset.