Ambassador Samir Sumaida'ie, Iraq's envoy to the US, has claimed the country will need greater export capacity if it is to achieve its goal of doubling oil production.

Speaking to Bloomberg Businessweek, the diplomat explained that a disagreement between the Kurdish regional government and central authorities in Baghdad has curtailed production from the north of the country, with both sides at loggerheads as to how revenues should be split.

However, lawmakers in the Iraqi capital have this month voted to recommence exports from the semi-autonomous region in a bid to ramp up oil production.

Mr Sumaida'ie said that cooperation between the country's many religious and secular groups will be essential to ensuring regional oil development continues at a desirable pace.

The country is preparing to host another bidding round on oil licences, which will be open to foreign oil companies.

In the two previous rounds, international firms have agreed to invest in regional oil training programmes as part of the production deal.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development