Oil workers return to Iraqi Kurdistan after UK lowers travel warning (updated)

Forza Petroleum

03/09/2014 15:22

(Adds Britain lowering travel advice, oil companies' updates) 
    LONDON, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Britain on Wednesday lowered its 
travel warning for Arbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, prompting some oil 
companies to return foreign employees who had been evacuated as 
violence escalated. 
    Canadian oil producer Oryx Petroleum  OXC.TO  said it had 
restarted oil production at its Demir Dagh field, while Gulf 
Keystone Petroleum  GKP.L  said it was returning around 50 
foreign staff to its sites in the area. 
    "In terms of getting outside contractors in there to 
continue the work on their developments, they are now coming 
back in as of this week," said a spokesman for Gulf Keystone. 
    The energy firm, whose oil production in the region was not 
materially affected by the evacuations, said last week the 
return of international staff was essential to meeting a 
year-end target to increase oil output at its flagship Shaikan 
field.  ID:nL5N0QY1FS  
    Genel  GENL.L , the operator of the region's largest 
producing oil fields, was considering returning staff it had 
previously evacuated, a person familiar with the company said. 
    Kurdistan-focused Afren  AFRE.L  said its staffing situation 
remained unchanged after it shut down production at its Barda 
Rash field in Iraqi Kurdistan last month.   
 
 (Reporting by Karolin Schaps; Additional reporting by David 
Sheppard; Editing by Michael Urquhart and David Evans) 
 ((karolin.schaps@thomsonreuters.com)(+44)(0)(207 542 
6622)(Reuters Messaging:  
karolin.schaps.reuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: IRAQ CRISIS/GULF KEYS PETR