Commodities November 9, 2026 12:36 AM

Khor Mor Gas Field Shuts After Suspected Drone Strike; Fire Extinguished, Damage Under Review

Dana Gas says staff uninjured as region loses 2.8 GW of generation capacity; ministries call incident a 'terrorist attack'

By Leila Farooq
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Production at the Khor Mor gas field in Iraq's Kurdistan region was suspended on Sunday following a suspected drone strike that ignited a fire, joint operator Dana Gas said. The company, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, reported that the blaze was extinguished and that staff were uninjured. Regional authorities said about 2.8 gigawatts of power generation were taken offline and described the incident as a terrorist attack while assessing steps to limit its impact.

Khor Mor Gas Field Shuts After Suspected Drone Strike; Fire Extinguished, Damage Under Review
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Key Points

  • Production at the Khor Mor gas field was suspended on Sunday after a suspected drone attack; Dana Gas said the resultant fire was extinguished and staff were unharmed.
  • The Kurdistan electricity ministry reported about 2.8 GW of generation was taken offline as a result of the incident; Khor Mor supplies gas to regional power plants.
  • Regional natural resources and electricity ministries described the incident as a "terrorist attack" and said they were working to limit its effects; there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Immediate impact and operator response

Production at Khor Mor, one of the largest gas fields in the Kurdistan region, was halted on Sunday after a "suspected" drone attack, the field's joint operator Dana Gas said in a statement. The company, which is based in the United Arab Emirates, said in a statement on Monday that it had extinguished a fire sparked by the strike and was assessing the damage. Dana Gas reported there were no injuries to staff.

Power generation disruption

The region's electricity ministry said the incident removed about 2.8 GW of power generation from the Kurdistan grid. Khor Mor supplies gas to regional power producers, and the shutdown therefore had a direct effect on generation capacity in the area.

Details reported by local sources

Two sources within the region's electricity ministry told reporters that a single drone struck the LPG storage tank at the field, triggering the fire. Security sources said smoke was visible rising from the site. Following the attack, employees at the field were moved to shelters within the facility, the ministry sources added. All of these sources spoke on condition of anonymity.

Official characterisation and steps to limit impact

In a joint statement, the region's natural resources and electricity ministries described the event as a "terrorist attack" and said they were working to minimise its consequences. No group has claimed responsibility for the strike.

Security context and past disruptions

Production at Khor Mor has been interrupted repeatedly in the past, with Kurdish officials attributing previous strikes to Iran-backed militias. In July, Dana Gas temporarily shut the field's main production facilities, citing credible security threats and regional tensions, before bringing the site back into production later that month.

Political background noted by authorities

Local officials and statements included in reporting emphasised the complex political environment in northern Iraq. The Kurdistan Regional Government operates with a degree of autonomy and maintains close ties with Washington, supported by significant US investment in the region's energy sector, according to the material provided. Meanwhile the federal government in Baghdad has attempted to balance relations with both Iran and the United States amid heightened military tensions.

The reporting also reflected how that balance has been complicated by militia actors. Iran-backed militants that remain influential in Iraq have previously targeted attacks on Gulf neighbours at the start of recent conflicts. Iran has also carried out strikes against Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in northern Iraq, according to the same reporting.

Outstanding questions

Authorities and the operator are assessing the damage and the conditions that would allow production to resume. Observers and officials continue to evaluate how long the suspension might last and what operational milestones will be required before restarting output at Khor Mor.


Note: All factual details in this report are taken from statements and accounts provided by Dana Gas, regional ministries and anonymous ministry and security sources. No claim of responsibility for the attack has been reported.

Risks

  • Uncertainty over the timeline and conditions required to restart Khor Mor production - this affects regional power generation and natural gas supply.
  • Security threats and regional tensions, underscored by previous shutdowns in July when credible threats prompted a temporary closure, pose ongoing operational risk to the field and to energy infrastructure.
  • Lack of attribution for the Sunday attack creates political and security uncertainty that could complicate coordination between the Kurdistan regional authorities and Baghdad, with implications for the regional energy sector.

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