The date for the start of pumping crude oil to the Karbala refinery is to be determined

BAGHDAD-INA

Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar set Monday the date for the start of pumping crude oil to the Karbala refinery, noting that the refinery will reduce the import of oil derivatives by 60 percent.

 The minister said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the ministry and the government are keen to increase the national production of oil products and stop their import," noting "the importance of achieving this goal by starting production from the Karbala refinery before the end of this year, along with the achievement of  The (FCC) project in the southern refineries, and a group of projects to rehabilitate the Al-Samoud refinery in Baiji during the next few years.

The minister added, during his visit to the Karbala oil refinery project, that "the refinery will cover the actual need for local consumption, in addition to reducing the import of oil derivatives by 60 percent.  

 He added, "The Karbala refinery project is the latest project in the refinery sector in Iraq with a capacity of 140,000 barrels per day, which includes modern and integrated refining systems.

The statement continued, "The minister held a meeting with the companies executing the project, during which he was accompanied by the Undersecretary for Liquidation Affairs Hamid Yunis, confirming the provision of all kinds of support to expedite the completion and operating procedures for the refinery."

 "The refinery was established according to the latest specifications and advanced technology to produce high-quality oil derivatives, and the visit comes as part of field visits to follow up on the completion rates in the project," said the Undersecretary for Liquidation Affairs Hamid Younis.

He pointed out that "the first phase of operating the refinery will be before the end of this year, and the second phase will be at the beginning of next year to produce light products, which will have a positive impact to meet the needs of local consumption."

 The General Manager of Al-Wasat Refineries Company, Ayed Jaber Omran, said that "the company has prepared the technical and engineering staff and included them in training courses to operate the refinery."