Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani has confirmed that Iraq is close to reaching an extraction capacity of up to 5 million barrels of oil per day (mbpd), and while revealing the current volume of gas production, he stated that Iraq is ranked 12th in the world in terms of the size of its reserves, pointing to the presence of large reserves. In the western regions, the ministry seeks to invest it through 15 exploration blocks, pointing at the same time to establishing projects to invest 900 million standard cubic feet of gas in Dhi Qar, Basra, and Maysan, in addition to another 600 million through the French company Total.
Abdul-Ghani said, “The Iraqi oil industry plays an important role in shaping the future of the national economy, and bears a great responsibility in supporting the economy and advancing its burdens, especially with it being primarily based on oil amid serious and real attempts to diversify the national economy and its sources of income.”
He added, "The Ministry of Oil is approaching with coherent steps towards reaching an extraction capacity estimated at 5 mbpd in the extraction sector, despite the serious restrictions on oil markets and the restriction of the quotas of OPEC countries in order to support price stability and balance."
He continued, "This comes amid real fears of upcoming climate restrictions on the oil sector, the latest of which were the texts of the COP 28 climate conference and its recommendations for a gradual shift away from fossil fuels."
He stressed, "The Ministry's efforts are concerted in the gas industry on the axis of new rounds of exploration, production rounds, and investment rounds of associated and combusted gas, and work is continuing on the fifth and sixth rounds for the border patches and patches of the western regions promising gas reserves, given Iraq's position in global reserves that makes it ranked 12th in the world." And because of the importance of gas in meeting our national needs and in the energy transition file, as it is the cleaner fuel compared to heavy fuel, this is in line with the recommendations of recent climate conferences.”
He pointed out that "the Ministry of Oil was very interested in investing in gas in the western regions, which possess very large gas reserves. Accordingly, the Ministry launched the fifth and sixth licensing rounds to invest it in the border regions. The two rounds included more than 30 oil and gas fields and exploration patches, including 15 gas patches in the western regions. Starting from the border with Syria, then Jordan, down to the border with Saudi Arabia, where the provinces of Diwaniyah and Muthanna are.”
Abdul-Ghani stated, “There are 20 international companies that will contribute, and we hope that Iraqi businessmen will also have a contribution in these licensing rounds. We are fully prepared to qualify these companies in order to expand participation in the rounds, and they will ensure Iraq’s self-sufficiency in gas and stop its importation, and perhaps Iraq will turn for a gas exporting country. The Minister of Oil pointed out that “Iraq’s current gas production reaches 3,200 million standard cubic feet (mmq) per day, and the estimated amount invested in it reached 62%, and the rest of the percentage, which amounts to 38%, is currently being burned. The current government, since the beginning of its formation, has set the goal of stopping the burning of gas.” Gas is its top priority.”
He explained, "It was contracted to stop burning and investing gas, and within a few years the entire quantity will be completed and its burning will be stopped. We have developed a road map to invest its large quantities. Perhaps the last project completed last year is the (Basra Angie Al) project with a capacity of 200 million standard cubic feet of gas." It was opened with the beginning of the formation of the government, and there is another unit in the Basra Gas Company with the same capacity with 200 million standard cubic feet, and its trial operation will begin in the second half of the current year 2024.
He continued, "We also have a gas investment project in the Halfaya field in Maysan with a capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet, and it has reached advanced stages. Within one to two months, the trial operation of the project will be completed, and this quantity will be invested and directed to the national grid and power stations, especially the Amara gas station. We also have a project in Dhi Qar Governorate, with a capacity of 200 million standard cubic feet, is being implemented by Baker Hughes, an international gas investment company, in the Nasiriyah and Al-Gharraf fields. It has also reached advanced stages, and its first phase will be operated during the second half of this year, while its second phase will be operated next year.”
Abdul Ghani stated, “The Ministry’s contracts and efforts are continuing in the French Total Company project, which includes 3 main activities in addition to oil production, and its most important activity is investing 600 million standard cubic feet of gas that is currently being burned in 5 oil fields: Majnoon, Al-Lahis, West Qurna 2, and Artawi.”
