Drone Strike Halts Khor Mor Gas Field Operations, Causes Major Power Outages in Iraqi Kurdistan

A drone strike on the Khor Mor gas field in northern Iraq forced an immediate shutdown of operations on Wednesday, triggering widespread power cuts across the Kurdistan region. The attack, which hit key storage facilities at one of Iraq’s largest natural gas sites, caused a significant disruption to regional electricity supplies, officials and field engineers confirmed.

According to a joint statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Natural Resources and Electricity ministries, all gas deliveries to local power stations have been halted. The sudden stoppage has resulted in major blackouts across Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and surrounding areas.

Omed Ahmed, spokesperson for the Kurdish electricity ministry, said the region is bracing for an estimated 3,000-megawatt drop in power generation, warning that the attack would severely impact grid stability until repairs are completed.

Security officials reported that the drone strike ignited a fire after hitting liquid-gas storage tanks, injuring some workers. Firefighting teams continued efforts late into the night as flames raged across parts of the facility. A field engineer told Reuters that damage to the main storage depot may require two to three days of repair work before basic operations can resume.

“A drone struck a major storage facility and caused extensive damage. The fire is still burning,” the engineer said from a shelter where workers had taken cover amid concerns of additional strikes.

Footage shared by Kurdish outlet Rudaw showed thick smoke rising from the site and large sections of Erbil plunged into darkness following the blast.

The ministries said teams from the Kurdistan government and UAE-based Dana Gas, one of the site’s operators under the Pearl Consortium, are investigating the incident. The consortium — which includes Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum — oversees development of the Khor Mor field.

Iraq’s Security Media Cell condemned the strike as a “treacherous terrorist attack,” adding that a major storage tank had caught fire but no casualties were reported. Authorities warned the attack would worsen existing power shortages in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah and vowed to pursue those responsible.

This marks the second attempted drone attack on the Khor Mor site within days. Over the weekend, Kurdish security forces opened fire on an incoming drone to prevent it from reaching the field.

The identity of the group behind the latest strike remains unknown.