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KBR Awarded Transformational Oil Development Project in Iraq

23/02/2026

KBR has been awarded a major contract by Basra Oil Company (BOC) to provide Integrated Field Management Services (IFMS) for the gigantic Majnoon Oil Field. Located in southern Iraq, Majnoon is one of the world’s largest oil fields, with estimated reserves of over 38 billion barrels.

Under the IFMS contract, KBR will provide comprehensive upstream engineering, project and operations management, and maintenance services to enhance crude production, modernize field facilities, and implement advanced AI and digital technologies to optimize reservoir performance in a safe and sustainable manner. KBR’s scope of services includes subsurface drilling and reservoir engineering to ensure an integrated approach towards the development, operation, and maintenance of this strategic oil asset in Iraq.

“This award underscores KBR’s deep and diverse technical capability, including upstream operational services, and decades long commitment to Iraq,” said Jay Ibrahim, President, KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions. “Oil field development projects of this scale and complexity require a strategic and trusted high-value provider with proven in-country experience, disciplined execution, and a strong safety culture. We are honored to support BOC in advancing Iraq’s energy ambitions and delivering sustained long term value.”

The project is expected to generate significant local employment across Iraq’s engineering, construction, and oil field services industries, with an initial estimated work force of approximately 2,000 in-country personnel. KBR remains committed to knowledge-transfer and training for Iraq’s dynamic engineering sector and will support the execution of this project through a combination of in-country teams and global engineering centers, ensuring strong local engagement while leveraging international best practices in project delivery, digital engineering and operational excellence. Throughout the execution phase, KBR will remain committed to supporting the development of local community initiatives, with an emphasis on best practices in engineering, safety, and technical skill development.

The strategic award strengthens KBR’s engagement across Iraq’s energy sector built on years of delivering value through collaboration, transparency, consistency, and innovation. From assisting the Iraqi Ministry of Planning to develop and implement a multifaceted Iraq Master Plan, undertaking multi-year complex maintenance programs across some of the largest oil fields such as Rumaila, to identifying practical strategies to monetize flared natural gas, KBR is positioned as a trusted high-value provider to contribute towards Iraq’s economic, industrial, and social growth for years to come.

Majnoon Oil Field

The Majnoon Oil Field is a super-giant oil field located 60 km (37 mi) from Basra in southern Iraq. Majnoon is one of the richest oil fields in the world with an estimated 38 billion barrels of oil in place, and new seismic work could also reveal even more reserves than the already discovered 47 billion barrels. The field was named Majnoon which means crazy in Arabic in reference to excessive amount of oil in a dense area. Now Iraq state-run Basra Oil Company operates the field with support from China’s Anton Oil and KBR. 

Development History:

  • 1975: Discovery of Majnoon Oilfield by Braspetro, a Brazilian company
  • 1980: Development of the oilfield came to a halt due to the Iran-Iraq War
  • Post-1980: After the war, the Southern Oil Company of Iraq resumed production.
  • 1990s: Total S.A. of France negotiated a development contract with Saddam Hussein, but couldn't finalize the deal due to UN sanctions on Iraq. Hussein eventually annulled the deal in 2002.
  • 2003: Due to the 2003 Iraq War, production was reduced to 46,000 barrels per day.
  • 2007: Total and Chevron signed an agreement with the Iraqi government to explore Majnoon field.
  • December 11, 2009: The Iraqi government awarded a license to a joint venture between Shell and Petronas to take over operations at Majnoon Oilfield
  • January 5, 2010: The contract for the joint venture was approved by the Council of Ministers of Iraq.
  • End of 2017: Shell agreed to exit the venture and hand over its operation to Basra Oil Company (BOC) by the end of June 2018.
  • April 2018: Anton Oilfield Services signed an Integrated Facilities Management Services Contract (IFMS) with Iraq's oil ministry to operate the maintenance and production of the Majnoon field on behalf of Basra Oil Company, with a one-year extension option.
  • May 2018: KBR, Inc. was awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction management contract (EPCM) by Basra Oil Company (BOC) for the development and construction side of the Majnoon Oil Field in Basra, Iraq
  • January 2021: Anton Oilfield Services and Basra Oil Company agreed to renew the IFMS for two more years with a one-year extension option.

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