KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — National oil company Petronas has safely evacuated all 80 of its Malaysian employees from Petronas Carigali Iraq Holding B.V. (PCIHBV), located at the Garraf Contract Area in Iraq’s Thi Qar province in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The move is a precautionary measure to ensure the health, safety and well-being of its employees, it said.
“This is certainly an unfortunate and unforeseeable event that is not within PCIHBV’s control. PCIHBV had accordingly issued the necessary notice in accordance with the provisions of the development and production service contract and engaged with the host authority prior to the suspension of operations and evacuation of our employees,” it said in a statement here today.
Operations at the Garraf Contract Area are now temporarily suspended until further notice, Petronas said.
“We are also closely monitoring the situation,” it added.
According to news reports, Iraq has recorded 164 Covid-19 cases, with 12 deaths. — Bernama
