Latest news with #RichardHall
NZ Herald
16-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
NZ Secondary Schools team restored as top under-18 rugby side
NZSS has agreed to amend its eligibility criteria to enable selection for anyone still at a school but unable to play for it due to the absence of a First XV programme. Both the schools and NZR have also agreed that they will continue to discuss ways in which they can amend their current governance arrangements so they can work more collaboratively and effectively together. NZR's main argument for wanting an age-grade team was inclusivity. It argued that such a team would open the door to players who were under 18 but not in education to play for a national team and be part of the high-performance system. NZR's general manager of professional rugby and performance, Chris Lendrum, said that, on last year's figures, 30 per cent of players eligible for a national U-18 team were registered at clubs and either not attending or not playing for a school. A consortium of 40-plus heavyweight schools, including Auckland Grammar, St Kentigern College, King's College, St Peter's College and Kelston Boys, as well as Hamilton Boys, Hastings Boys, Otago Boys, Christchurch Boys and Wellington College, pushed back, saying they believed a national U-18 team would see their elite pupils move into the national body's high-performance system and potentially compromise their education. They also argued that it would inevitably lead to the collapse of the volunteer support on which school rugby is built. Of equal concern was the belief that NZR, having failed to communicate its intentions to the schools before putting out a media release, was trying to fulfil a long-held ambition of controlling the development of elite schoolboy players. While the restoration of NZSS to premium status may seem like a compromise deal, the schools believe they have won a significant victory, as they considered the surprise proposal to be, effectively, a hostile takeover bid for school rugby by the national union. Richard Hall, rector of Otago Boys' High School, who is serving as spokesman for the secondary school principals, said the decision was a commonsense victory that recognised schools were the best places to provide young people with all their needs. He said the NZSS team remained the best pathway for coaches who were heavily invested in the First XV circuit. He also acknowledged that, while the circumstances bringing the schools to negotiate with NZR were not ideal, the agreement to rebuild the relationship and establish a partnership with the national body was being viewed as a major positive. 'We are hoping that the principals will now have a strong voice at NZR, and we don't want a repeat of what happened in March when we read about changes in a press release. 'It's a good win for us, and we will continue to have these conversations to see what unfolds.' Lendrum, who was the public face of the move to create a national U-18 team, said he still felt that widening the net to capture those players not at school remained a sound proposition, but that the execution of the strategy was 'sub-optimal'. He admitted that the lack of communication with schools before the March announcement 'was not our best work'. But like Hall, he was positive about the chance to build a stronger relationship with secondary schools.
Rudaw Net
09-05-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Dana Gas says to begin production at Chamchamal field next year
Also in ECONOMY Iraq tells Turkey it needs more time to restart Kurdish oil exports KRG calls for restart of Kurdish oil exports 'as soon as possible' Oil association urges renewed efforts to resume Kurdish exports KRG transfers control of digital salary payment program to finance ministry A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The UAE-based Dana Gas on Thursday announced that it has begun development activities at the key Chamchamal gas field in Sulaimani province alongside its consortium Pearl Petroleum, and that production is set to commence next year. 'Pearl Petroleum has initiated first phase development activities at Chemchemal, one of Iraq's largest world-class and undeveloped gas fields. A $160 million investment program is now underway to drill three wells and install an extended well test facility,' Dana Gas said in a disclosure on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). The Chamchamal gas field and the nearby Khor Mor field, which Dana Gas also operates, are among Iraq's largest energy fields. According to the disclosure, the Chamchamal field is set to produce 75 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscf/d) by mid-2026. The company also recorded $43 million in profits since the beginning of the year - a 13 percent increase from the same period last year - despite lower oil prices. 'Daily gas production at Khor Mor reached 525 million standard cubic feet, marking a 75% increase since 2017. The field continues to support over 75% of the Kurdistan Region's power generation needs,' Dana Gas said. Last month, Dana Gas announced that a mega expansion project at Khor Mor, labeled KM250, is set to be completed early next year, ahead of schedule. The expansion is set to significantly boost the Kurdistan Region's electricity generation capabilities. 'Once fully operational, KM250 is expected to add 250 MMscf/d of processing capacity, increasing Pearl Petroleum's production by 50%, while significantly boosting Dana Gas's financial performance and cash flow,' it said. Crescent Petroleum and its affiliate, Dana Gas, struck a deal with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in 2007 to develop the Region's substantial gas resources. They also agreed to establish Kurdistan Gas City, a major new gas-utilization industrial complex to promote private sector investment. The KM250 expansion project is supported by a seven-year, $250 million financing agreement between Dana Gas and the US International Development Finance Cooperation. 'We achieved higher production in the KRI [Kurdistan Region of Iraq] while reducing our operational and finance costs. We also continue to make excellent progress on the KM250 expansion, and we remain on track to achieve first gas by Q1 2026,' said Dana Gas CEO Richard Hall. Located in Sulaimani's Chamchamal district, Khor Mor frequently comes under attack, reportedly by Iran-affiliated Iraqi militias taking advantage of its strategic and economic importance for the Kurdistan Region, leading to major power disruptions across the Region and hindering expansion projects at the site. A drone targeted the field in February but did not cause material damage or casualties. Sulaimani-based Kurdish counterterrorism forces blamed 'militia groups and outlaws' for the attack. In April of last year, a drone strike at the site killed four Yemeni nationals and injured several others who were repairing damage from a previous attack. The strike caused Dana Gas to suspend production temporarily. Dana Gas has also warned that attacks on Khor Mor directly impact the lives of the Kurdistan Region's citizens.
The National
04-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Iraq's Khor Mor gasfield reaches 500 million boe production mark
Production from Khor Mor, Iraq's largest non-associated gasfield, has reached 500 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe), its operators have said. The Khor Mor plant, in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), hit daily production of 525 million standard cubic feet of natural gas in early March, Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum said in a joint statement on Thursday. Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum have a 35 per cent stake each in the Pearl Petroleum consortium, the operator of Khor Mor. An expansion project, aimed at boosting production at Khor Mor by a further 50 per cent, will now be completed in the first quarter of 2026 instead of the second quarter, the companies said. The project, estimated to cost $1 billion, was originally scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2024. 'Progress … has advanced in recent months through fast-track simultaneous project construction and commissioning activities, enabling the company to cut the overall project schedule by several months,' the companies said. The Khor Mor plant provides the fuel for about 75 per cent of the KRI's electricity generation. 'The KM-250 completion which we are now confident of accelerating to take place in Q1 2026 will transform our business, enabling the next major phase of expansion,' said Richard Hall, chief executive of Dana Gas. Pearl Petroleum partners will invest $160 million to develop the Chemchemal field, aiming to start producing up to 71 million standard cubic feet of gas per day in 2026. The plan includes drilling three wells, setting up a testing facility and building supporting infrastructure. Iraq, Opec's second-largest producer, is looking to boost domestic output of natural gas to support power generation and reduce reliance on imports from countries such as Iran. Most of Iraq's gas is associated with its large southern oilfields, while independent gasfields such as Akkas in the west and Mansouriya in the east remain largely undeveloped. Similarly, although the KRI has many gasfields, most are still untapped. KRI holds more than 25 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, accounting for about 20 per cent of Iraq's total. Set up in 2005, Dana Gas has exploration and production assets in Egypt, the Iraqi Kurdish region and the UAE, with proven reserves exceeding one billion barrels of oil equivalent and average production of about 60,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day last year.
Rudaw Net
03-04-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Dana Gas says mega Khor Mor expansion to finish ahead of schedule
Also in ECONOMY Oil producers accuse Baghdad of trying to 'unilaterally' alter contracts Iraq aims for 6 million bpd oil output by 2029: Oil ministry US urges Iraq to resume Kurdish oil exports, honor contracts with American companies Kurdistan oil exports could resume next week: Lawmaker A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The UAE-based Dana Gas announced on Thursday that a mega expansion project at the key Khor Mor gas field in Sulaimani province is set to be completed early next year, ahead of schedule. A major expansion project at Khor Mor, known as KM250, is expected to drastically increase the production of gas from the field by an additional 250 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscf/d), significantly boosting the Kurdistan Region's electricity generation capabilities. 'Development of the KM-250 project, which promises to boost capacity by a further 50%, has accelerated the expected completion to Q1 2026. Progress on the US$1 billion expansion project … has advanced in recent months through fast-track simultaneous project construction and commissioning activities,' Dana Gas said in a disclosure on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). Crescent Petroleum and its affiliate, Dana Gas, struck a deal with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in 2007 to develop the Region's substantial gas resources. They also agreed to establish Kurdistan Gas City, a major new gas-utilization industrial complex to promote private sector investment. In the disclosure, Dana Gas revealed that production from Khor Mor reached 525 mmscf/d per day in early March, 'a growth of 75% since 2017, in addition to 15,200 b/d of condensate and 1,070 t/d of LPG.' 'The Khor Mor plant operated by the companies provides the fuel for around 75% of the KRI's electricity generation, enabling affordable power for more than 6 million Iraqis in the KRI and other governorates of Iraq. With total investment to date exceeding US$3.5 billion, the operations have created more than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region,' it stated. The KM250 expansion project is supported by a seven-year, $250 million financing agreement between Dana Gas and the US International Development Finance Cooperation. ''We are at the start of an exciting new chapter for Pearl Petroleum with the imminent completion of the KM-250 expansion project,' said Crescent Petroleum CEO Majid Jafar. 'This work will further enhance the energy sector and economy of the Kurdistan Region and all of Iraq.' Dana Gas CEO Richard Hall said that the KM250 expansion 'will transform our business, enabling the next major phase of expansion.' Located in Sulaimani's Chamchamal district, Khor Mor frequently comes under attack, reportedly by Iran-affiliated Iraqi militias taking advantage of its strategic and economic importance for the Kurdistan Region, leading to major power disruptions across the Region and hindering expansion projects at the site. A drone targeted the field in February but did not cause material damage or casualties. Sulaimani-based Kurdish counterterrorism forces blamed 'militia groups and outlaws' for the attack. In April of last year, a drone strike at the site killed four Yemeni nationals and injured several others who were repairing damage from a previous attack. The strike caused Dana Gas to suspend production temporarily. Dana Gas has also warned that attacks on Khor Mor directly impact the lives of the Kurdistan Region's citizens.
Zawya
03-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Crescent Petroleum, Dana Gas reach 500 MMboe from Khor Mor
Dana Gas, Crescent Petroleum, and their partners in the Pearl Petroleum Consortium have announced that cumulative production from Khor Mor, Iraq's largest non-associated gas field, has reached 500 million barrels of oil equivalent (Mmboe). The Khor Mor plant provides fuel for 75% of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq's electricity generation, enabling affordable power for over 6 million Iraqis. With total investment exceeding $3.5 billion, the operations have created more than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region. Daily production from Khor Mor reached 525 MMscfd of natural gas, a 75% growth since 2017. The KM-250 project, which promises to boost capacity by a further 50%, has accelerated its completion to Q1 2026. Progress on the $1 billion expansion project, including $250 million in financing from the US Development Finance Corporation (DFC), has advanced through fast-track simultaneous project construction and commissioning activities. The consortium has also begun work on an appraisal strategy to unlock Khor Mor's additional significant hydrocarbon potential and plan the next phases of the field's development. The Chemchemal Cretaceous reservoir is being appraised, with the partners committing $160 million to drill three wells, install an extended well test facility, and construct associated enabling infrastructure. Pearl Petroleum is considering further financing options and has engaged DNB Markets, part of DNB Bank ASA, and Pareto Securities AS as Joint Lead Managers and Bookrunners to arrange fixed-income investor meetings. A new senior secured bond issue with a tenor of 5 years may follow, used to finance near-term growth opportunities and general corporate purposes. Majid Jafar, CEO of Crescent Petroleum and Board Managing Director of Dana Gas, said, 'We are at the start of an exciting new chapter for Pearl Petroleum with the imminent completion of the KM-250 expansion project, initial appraisal and development of the Chemchemal Field and an appraisal strategy to further unlock hydrocarbon potential of the Khor Mor Field. This work will further enhance the energy sector and economy of the Kurdistan Region and all of Iraq.' Richard Hall, CEO of Dana Gas, added, 'The KM-250 completion which we are now confident of accelerating to take place in Q1 2026 will transform our business, enabling the next major phase of expansion. Our ongoing positive discussions with the financial community reflect the increasing respect we are being afforded as a major regional energy company.-TradeArabia News Service Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
