Two oil wells at a field near the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk were bombed by insurgents yesterday.
According to the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, the blasts ignited several fires. One of the fires at Well 177 at the Bai Hassan oilfield had been extinguished while emergency teams were working to douse a second at Well 183, according to the initial statement.
One policeman was killed and 3 others wounded in the attack, said Iraqi security officials, in what might have been an intentional diversion to facilitate the planting of bombs at the facilities.
Industry sources say production will not be affected by the assault, while the Iraqi Oil Ministry did not comment on the matter.
The last attack on Bai Hassan oilfield was claimed by the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group, when explosives were used against 2 oil wells without causing significant damage on 17 April.
At that time, the Iraqi Oil Ministry released a statement asserting that the bombing, “did not cause a fire or damage, affect production or stop oil pumping from the wells.”