Escalating protests in Iraq have led to a halt in production at the Al Ahdab oil field, which pumps some 70,000 bpd, Bloomberg reports , citing an unnamed source from the Iraqi government. Another field is at risk of shutting down starting today as well. Al Ahdab is operated by China’s CNPC, but it has been blockaded by security guards who are protesting against the absence of permanent employment contracts. The other field at risk of closure, Badra, produces about 50,000 bpd. Russia’s Gazprom Neft is the operator of that field. Iraq is the second-largest oil producer and exporter in OPEC. It has been hit by a series of economic protests that started last year and are not showing any sings of ending any time soon as disgruntled citizens demand better public services and economic reforms and protest against widespread government corruption. Al Jazeera reports that on Sunday, protesters […]