LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - London-listed oil company Genel Energy, led by former BP boss Tony Hayward, reported a strong rise in profits on Thursday after its first year of exporting oil from Iraqi Kurdistan.
The company plans to step up oil production by 50 percent to 60,000-70,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day this year by using a new pipeline that links its production region in Iraqi Kurdistan to customers in Turkey.
Genel Energy also said that drilling results from three more wells in Iraqi Kurdistan showed oil and gas was in place, raising hopes for commercial flows from the sites.
Profits before tax rose to $186.5 million last year from $75.9 million in 2012 and revenue was 4 percent higher at $347.9 million.