Iraq has entered the market for liquefied natural gas, with its first shipment ever taking place this week. In a statement, the Iraqi Oil Ministry said that the first shipment was an achievement and quoted the managing director of Basra Gas Company, Malcolm Mayes, as saying it was a "historic moment". The international LNG market has heated up in the past few months as Europe, a major importer of gas, seeks to reduce and eventually eliminate its reliance on Russian pipeline gas. LNG has emerged as the most convenient replacement, and the United States as the biggest supplier so far....