Iraq has awarded Chinese state-owned Sinopec a contract to d

Iraq has awarded Chinese state-owned Sinopec a contract to develop the 4.5 Tcf Mansuriyah gas field in the eastern province of Diyala, the Iraqi oil ministry said April 20, as OPEC's second largest oil producer seeks to lower its reliance on Iranian energy imports. The ministry did not disclose any details about the contract. Sinopec could not be reached for comment. Since the 2018 reimposition of sanctions on Iran, the US has granted Iraq waivers to continue importing Iranian gas and electricity, which is needed to avert power outages that have led to deadly protests in the past. But, under…