An explosive-laden drone reportedly struck a gas storage facility in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, forcing operations to stop and causing major disruptions to electricity generation.
ERBIL, IRAQ: A drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region has forced the suspension of gas production and significantly affected electricity generation, according to security officials and regional authorities.
The attack reportedly targeted the major gas facility late at night, with thick clouds of smoke seen rising from the site following an explosion.
According to two security sources, production activities at the gas field were immediately suspended after the incident.
An engineer working at the facility said that the attack had struck a gas storage installation, disrupting operations at the site.
In a joint statement, authorities responsible for natural resources and electricity in the Kurdistan region confirmed that the Khor Mor gas field was targeted at approximately 11:00 p.m.
Regional officials described the incident as a terrorist attack.
A Kurdish security source told the French news agency AFP that an explosive-laden drone had been used to target the facility.
The attack has had consequences for the region’s energy sector, particularly electricity generation, which relies heavily on natural gas supplies.
According to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Electricity, the disruption at Khor Mor affected approximately 2,800 megawatts of electricity generation capacity.
The sudden interruption in gas supplies has created additional challenges for the regional power system, raising concerns about possible electricity shortages if production remains suspended.
Khor Mor is one of the Kurdistan region’s important natural gas facilities and plays a significant role in supplying fuel to power plants.
The field is operated by Pearl Petroleum, a consortium involving UAE-based energy companies Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum, making it a major energy investment in the region.
The suspension of operations at the facility could place further pressure on electricity supplies, particularly if repairs and production restoration take longer than expected.
Authorities are assessing the situation following the attack, although the full extent of damage to the gas infrastructure has not been confirmed in the initial reports.
No group has been identified as responsible for the attack in the information released so far.
Officials have also not announced a confirmed timeline for the resumption of gas production.
The incident has highlighted the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure to drone attacks and the potential consequences for electricity generation in the Kurdistan region.
Further updates regarding the damage, restoration of operations and the investigation are awaited from the relevant authorities.