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Competition among International Exploration Companies over the Akkas Gas Field in Western Iraq: A Geoeconomic Study | ||
| Journal of University of Anbar for Humanities | ||
| Volume 2026, Issue 3, September 2026, Pages 922-901 PDF (4.15 M) | ||
| Document Type: Research Paper | ||
| DOI: 10.37653/juah.2026.170635.1425 | ||
| Author | ||
| Nassif Jassim Abid Freih* | ||
| University of Anbar- University’s Presidency, Iraq | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Aims: The study aims to examine the energy potential of the Akkas Gas Field in Al-Anbar Governorate, western Iraq, as one of the country’s significant natural gas fields, and to assess its economic and strategic importance amid growing global demand for energy resources. It also seeks to analyze the role of competition among international companies in securing investment rights and developing the field’s gas resources, while examining the drivers underlying this competition within the broader context of global geoeconomic rivalry over energy resources in the Middle East. In addition, the study aims to clarify the geostrategic significance of the field’s geographical location and assess how its spatial position may facilitate gas development and potential exports to regional and international markets. It further examines the implications of international competition for the development of gas resources in western Iraq. Methodology: The study employed a combination of approaches appropriate to the nature and objectives of the research. The historical approach was used to trace the discovery of the Akkas Gas Field and the subsequent stages of exploration and development. The descriptive and analytical approaches were also employed to assess the field’s current status and energy potential and to examine relevant official data, statistics, and documented positions. Particular attention was given to the nature of competition among international companies and the states with which they are affiliated, with the aim of interpreting their economic and strategic motivations for seeking investment opportunities in the field. The study also analyzed available data on natural gas resources in the study area to evaluate the research hypothesis and establish the field’s potential significance within the Iraqi and regional energy systems. Results: The findings indicate that the Western Iraqi Desert, particularly the area surrounding the Akkas Gas Field in Al-Anbar Governorate, possesses substantial natural gas potential, making it an area of interest to several international companies associated with major global powers. These companies seek to develop the field in ways that serve their respective economic and strategic interests. The study further demonstrates that the region’s gas potential has enhanced its geostrategic significance, particularly amid intensifying international competition over energy resources in the Middle East. The field’s geographical location constitutes another factor underpinning international interest in its development. Its proximity to Iraq’s borders with Syria and Jordan may provide opportunities for connecting Iraqi gas resources to regional and international networks and markets, while potentially facilitating future access to export routes through the Mediterranean region and the Gulf of Aqaba. Such connectivity could enhance Iraq’s prospects for reaching international gas markets. The study also finds that competition over the development of the field is driven not solely by the size of its gas reserves, but also by its geographical location and the broader economic and geopolitical significance of the region. Conclusions: The study concludes that the Akkas Gas Field represents a strategically important energy resource with the potential to strengthen Iraq’s position in regional and international gas markets. The substantial gas potential of western Iraq has attracted the attention of major international exploration and investment companies. The findings further indicate that competition among major companies for access to Iraqi gas resources is closely associated with the geoeconomic interests of their respective home countries and their efforts to secure additional energy supplies amid ongoing transformations in global energy markets. The geographical location of the field further enhances its strategic importance, particularly given its potential future integration into gas transportation and export routes serving regional and international markets. Geological evidence and the investigations reviewed in the study also indicate considerable natural gas potential in western Iraq, with the study referring to an estimate that the area contains approximately 20% of the natural gas resources of the Arabian Gulf region. Accordingly, the development of the Akkas Gas Field represents an important opportunity to enhance Iraq’s utilization of its domestic gas resources, reduce reliance on imported energy supplies, and strengthen its position within regional and global energy systems.. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Conflict; Companies; Exploration; Natural Gas | ||
| References | ||
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