Oil Ministry announces upcoming operation of vital projects to maximize natural gas production
The Ministry of Oil revealed on Sunday that new gas projects will soon enter service as part of its plans to develop the gas sector and enhance associated gas investment operations. The Ministry's spokesperson, Salim Al-Rikabi, explained that the new projects include the Zubair-Mushrif gas project, low-pressure gas collection projects, alongside the Um Qasr rehabilitation project and the full cryogenic gas project. Al-Rikabi emphasized that these projects embody the ministry's efforts to maximize utilization of gas wealth and strengthen the state's production and processing capabilities. Regarding plans to curb emissions and halt environmental and economic waste, Al-Rikabi stated that the previous plan aimed to completely stop routine flaring of associated gas in Basra gas fields by 2028, but current conditions may lead to a relative postponement of this date, suggesting full cessation during 2029. In a related context, the ministry's spokesperson noted that the target production capacity for the Basra Gas Company is 2000 million standard cubic feet per day, through investing associated gas from three main oil fields: Rumaila, West Qurna 1, and Zubair. Al-Rikabi indicated that the volume of invested gas will reach a maximum of 1400 million standard cubic feet per day by the end of 2027 or 2028, pointing out simultaneously that the company's current operational capacity for gas processing stands at 1400 million standard cubic feet per day, supplemented by 330 million standard cubic feet per day of surplus gas. Al-Rikabi concluded by confirming that the ministry's future plans include implementing additional strategic projects contributing to raising invested gas quantities and enhancing the operational capabilities of Iraq's gas sector, highlighting projects such as the Artawi gas project with a production capacity of 600 million standard cubic feet per day executed in two phases, as well as the Bin Omar project with a production capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet per day also executed in two phases.
