Energy legislation faces delays

The Iraqi government is committed to driving through a much-delayed package of four energy laws to put the sector on a firm footing. But it still faces entrenched opposition from a number of quarters. Momentum created by the ongoing series of licensing rounds, the fourth of which is in preparation, plus recent developments such as the approval of Shell’s controversial gas deal, suggest that Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki’s administration is able to get its own way.