Khor Mor Gas Shutdown Plunges Iraqi Kurdistan into Power Crisis

The decision to halt operations at the facility—the largest non-associated gas field in the country—was finalized in coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Government, Sulaymaniyah officials, and Baghdad. While the operator maintains the plant is in a state of readiness, the move follows a pattern of rocket and drone attacks targeting the site. This latest interruption effectively throttles the region's power supply, restricting availability to only a few hours daily for residents and businesses.

Khor Mor remains a linchpin of Iraq’s energy independence, holding an estimated 8.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Operated by the Pearl Petroleum consortium, which includes Dana Gas, Crescent Petroleum, OMV AG, MOL Group, and DNO, the field recently underwent a $1.1 billion expansion to boost output to 750 million standard cubic feet per day. Beyond fueling local stations, the site was intended to supply federal power plants to reduce Iraq’s heavy reliance on imported Iranian gas, a strategic goal now stalled by the ongoing regional volatility.