Angry Shi'ites Storm Schlumberger Camp at Iraq's Rumaila Oilfield

The protestors smashed up offices and severely beat the foreign security adviser, oil officials and workers said. A photograph taken by a worker at the scene showed a man with blood streaming down his face. He said it was the adviser. Security officials said the man was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Police and the army intervened to restore order and expelled the protesters from the site.

"We advised the British security contractor to step back and leave this issue as it is very sensitive for the workers, but instead ... he went himself and removed the banners and tore one of Imam Hussein," said an Iraqi worker, who witnessed the incident.

"Workers were provoked and squabbled with the British guy, but he suddenly pulled out a pistol and started shooting, and wounded one Iraqi worker," the man said.

On Saturday, an Egyptian worker hired by Baker Hughes Inc to work at a drilling rig in Rumaila removed and tore a flag also depicting a holy Shi'ite figure, prompting Iraqi authorities to terminate his residency and expel him from the country, oil officials said.

The workhorse of Iraq's oil industry, Rumaila is operated by BP with China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC). It has estimated reserves of 17 billion barrels and currently produces around 1.4 million bpd, more than a third of Iraq's total output of over 3 million bpd.

"The workers and villagers went on a rampage. It was a fatal mistake from the foreign security guy to provoke local workers," said an oil ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "When you operate in a mainly Shi'ite community you have to respect their traditions and norms: it's the A B C of how to work in any environment."


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