Ministry of Oil Unveils Strategic Plan to Develop West Qurna's Yamama Reservoir, Enhance Production

Iraq's Ministry of Oil announced on Tuesday strategic plans aimed at boosting the production from the Yamama reservoir in the West Qurna field to 400,000 barrels per day. The ministry also confirmed the adoption of advanced water injection techniques within the reservoir to ensure sustained pressure and production longevity. Arab Abdel Khaliq, Head of the Reservoirs Department at the West Qurna/1 operating body, stated to the official agency that "the Reservoirs Department is responsible for the comprehensive management and monitoring of all oil reservoirs within the field." He highlighted that "the Mishrif reservoir serves as the primary driver of current production, contributing approximately 95 percent of the total output." Abdel Khaliq revealed a "development plan for the Yamama reservoir targeting a production capacity of around 400,000 barrels per day during 2028 and 2029." He clarified that "production will commence with an initial phase of 20,000 barrels per day, before gradually expanding based on continuous pressure readings and reservoir monitoring." He added that "the field includes, in addition to the Mishrif reservoir, the Zubair reservoir, as well as other discovered but undeveloped reservoirs such as Saadi and Maudood. The Yamama reservoir is currently undergoing the completion of its development requirements to integrate it into the production system." Abdel Khaliq explained that "reservoir studies for Yamama have been completed, and approximately 6 to 7 wells have been drilled." He noted that "extracted oil samples underwent precise analytical activities, including measuring hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas levels to determine the necessary technical specifications for facilities." He pointed out that "the concentration of hydrogen sulfide gas in the Yamama reservoir is high, reaching about 4000 according to adopted measurements." He emphasized that "this necessitates designing facilities with special specifications that are suitable and resistant to corrosion caused by this gas." Abdel Khaliq concluded by stating that "should a decrease in reservoir pressure occur in the Yamama field, one of the production wells can be converted into a water injection well." He clarified that "the injection rate could reach approximately 10,000 barrels of water per day, against a production of about 10,000 barrels of oil per day." He affirmed that "these measures primarily aim to maintain reservoir pressure, ensure production sustainability, and gradually enhance the reservoir's utilization rates."