Oilfield services firm Weatherford has confirmed that it will begin servicing its two drilling contracts for fields in southern Iraq next month.

Speaking to Reuters in Abu Dhabi, the company's area manager for Middle East operations Rex Cramer said that it will also begin drilling in semi-autonomous Kurdistan later this month as the development of the country's oil and gas industry gathers momentum.

"Iraq is starting to boom and there will be more work, but this comes with strong competition," he told the news agency.

Mr Cramer added that the company has a strong commitment to developing domestic career opportunities within the country, explaining that 90 per cent of its workforce in the country are of Iraqi nationality.

Weatherford was founded in the US and operates in more than 100 countries, employing 45,000 people worldwide.

It has recently completed a redomestication from Bermuda to Switzerland after the move was approved by its shareholders in February.

Getenergy Exploration and Production News