Iraq is close to signing a $53 billion, 30-year energy agreement with Exxon Mobil and PetroChina, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday, denying any link between the mega-project and U.S. permission for Iraq to do business with Iran. Iraq expects to make $400 billion over the 30 years the deal will be in effect, the prime minister said. The southern mega-project involves the development of the Nahr Bin Umar and Artawi oilfields and raising production from the two fields to 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) from around 125,000 bpd now, Abdul Mahdi said. The project is crucial to supplying water to oilfields in the south in order to boost pressure and keep production steady. […]