What happened
American Chevron on Monday, February 23, signed preliminary framework agreements in Baghdad on a possible takeover of the West Qurna‑2 field, currently operated by the sanctioned Russian company Lukoil. This was reported by Bloomberg.
"The framework agreement provides for the exchange of confidential information and sets the terms of an exclusive negotiation period for the project; Chevron has the right to negotiate exclusively for one year."
— Bloomberg
The agreement also foresees a temporary transfer of the Basra Oil contract, with a subsequent handover to Chevron after negotiations are completed and the terms of a new contract are agreed. The documents will take effect only after approval by Iraq’s Council of Ministers, and a number of steps depend on permissions, including from the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Why this matters
West Qurna‑2 produces about 480,000 barrels per day — roughly 10% of Iraq’s output. The transfer of the operator from a sanctioned company to a Western oil firm has several implications:
• For the market: reducing the status quo tied to the operator’s risk could lower a geopolitical premium and affect supply stability.
• For sanctions policy: the success of the deal depends on how quickly and in what form OFAC approves operational steps regarding an asset that belonged to a company sanctioned in October 2025.
• For regional relations: the Iraqi government’s decision signals an effort to reduce dependence on companies that have come under international pressure and to reallocate assets in favor of partners with stronger reputations.
Next steps and risks
The framework agreement gives Chevron the exclusive right to negotiate for one year. But this is only the beginning: finalizing control will require a series of legal and political decisions — from approvals in Baghdad to OFAC permissions.
The risks are clear: Iraq’s politics are not uniformly stable, and any delay in U.S. approvals could complicate the transfer. In addition, the technical transfer of operational authority on this scale is not only a legal process but also involves logistics, contractor contracts, and guarantees for local staff.
Energy market analysts note that even if the transfer succeeds, a change of operator will not immediately show up in production volumes — time is needed for audits, investments, and transitional management.
What this means for Ukraine
Although this is not directly our story, the signal is important: Western companies are ready to fill the niche left by sanctioned players. For Ukraine, this is part of a broader trend — the weakening of the Kremlin’s economic influence worldwide and the strengthening role of Western investment in strategic sectors.
Conclusion
Chevron’s framework agreements are more than a business story: they are a test for Iraqi policy and the U.S. sanctions machinery. If the process proceeds quickly and transparently, the market will receive a signal about a realignment of ownership in the international energy sector. If not, we will see another example of how politics and regulation shape energy reality. The coming months will show whether this agreement will evolve into an actual reallocation of control over one of the world’s key fields.
