To ensure the safety of its employees, US oil producer Chevron has evacuated all of its American oil workers from Iraq following the US-led airstrike that killed Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani last week. The second-largest oil firm in the US made the announcement on Monday, stating that it was a necessary precautionary measure for its expatriate employees and contractors.
Chevron stated that all of its American employees have already left its facilities in the Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq and will remain off-site "for the time being." The company also stated that it currently does not have any other American workers in its other facilities in the region.
Chevron mentioned that the safety of its people as its top priority as of the moment given the rising tensions in the area. The company facilities will reportedly still be fully operational despite the evacuation. The company's local staff will oversee operations until further notice.
The airstrike last week that killed Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, along with their military escorts, was a major development into what some have feared could lead to an all-out shooting war between Iran and the United States. Iran has condemned the drone strike at the Baghdad International Airport, vowing to avenge the deaths and to strike back at the United States.
Immediately after the strike, The US urged all American workers in Iraq to leave the country as soon as possible as they could be caught in the crossfire if tensions escalate further. A number of American workers in the region have reportedly already exited the country, including those working with companies outside of the oil industry.
The Iraqi oil ministry stated that there were still some foreign workers who had chosen not to leave the country. The ministry also clarified that oil fields across the country were still operating normally and its oil supply remained unaffected.
Despite its assurances, global oil prices still surged on Monday as investors reacted to the increasing risks in the region and the possible disruption of the global oil supply. Iraq is currently the second-largest oil producer within OPEC, and turmoil in the region could dramatically reduce global supplies.
Apart from Chevron, other major oil firms such as BP, Royal Dutch Shell, and Exxon Mobil do have active facilities in southern Iraq. BP and Shell have yet to announce an evacuation, while Exxon has mentioned that it is closely monitoring the situation. Exxon further stated that it does already have existing programs and measures to ensure the safety of its people and facilities in the area.
