Fight brewing over who has the rights to sign oil contracts for Iraq 's Kurdish region . Exxon has signed a deal with the Kurdish regional government that it says is illegal . Iraq still does n't have a hydrocarbons -- or oil and gas -- law . Gulf Keystone says it is working an oil field of at least 8 billion barrels -- one of the largest oil fields covered in this part of the country . As Kurds feel they should sign the oil contracts , they also remember Saddam Hussein attempts to wipe out their communities .
Fight brewing over who has the rights to sign oil contracts for Iraq 's Kurdish region . Exxon has signed a deal with the Kurdish regional government that it says is illegal . Gulf Keystone says it is working an oil field of at least 8 billion barrels -- one of the largest oil fields covered in this part of the country . As Kurds feel they should sign the oil contracts , they also remember Saddam Hussein attempts to wipe out their communities .