INA - BAGHDAD

Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani confirmed, on Monday, that it is planned that the current gas investment projects will result in reaching a production volume of 600 MCF, noting that with the cessation of flaring associated gas within 3 years, it is hoped to achieve self-sufficiency in the local need to operate power stations.

"The gas investment file and meeting the needs of power stations operating on dry gas are among the priorities and important files that the Prime Minister focuses on, and the ministry has several projects in this file, most notably the refining and processing units in the Basra Gas Company," said Abdul Ghani to Al-Iraqiya News TV, followed by the Iraqi News Agency - INA.

He added, "The most important of these projects is Basra MGL 1, which was completed last year, but it needs some components to operate it and can invest 75 MCF (one million standard cubic feet) and reach 150 million at a later stage."

"We also have the Basra MGL 2 project, which is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of next year, i.e. the end of March, and will add about 75 million standard cubic feet, reaching 100 million later. These quantities, after completion and processing, can be directed to the national electricity grid," noted Abdul Ghani pointing out, "We also have other promising projects, including the Halfaya field to invest in gas specialized in feeding power stations in Maysan with a capacity of up to 160 million standard cubic feet. There is also the integrated southern Iraq project implemented by the French company Total, which is being implemented in two phases, each phase is expected to add 300 million standard cubic feet. The first phase will be implemented in 3 years, and a year has passed so far, and two years remain."

He highlighted that "To accelerate the benefit from the project, the Ministry of Oil has implemented an accelerated phase with a capacity of 50 million standard cubic feet, and there are other projects, and we hope to reach a gas investment rate of 80% next year, and we are serious about reaching the stage of stopping gas flaring completely by the end of 2027 or the beginning of 2028, and we hope that the quantities produced at that time will be sufficient for power stations."

"The quantities of gas invested last year reached 150 million standard cubic feet, and it is hoped that this year it will reach 200-250 million, and will be directed to power stations," he included.

Abdul Ghani pointed out that "there are other gas investment projects such as the Akkas and Mansouriya fields, and the contracts for them have been signed and are awaiting implementation."

Regarding the gas import platform, Abdul Ghani explained that "in light of the increasing need, the Prime Minister directed the provision of additional outlets and the construction of a special platform for import with a capacity of 1,000 million standard cubic feet, which will be established in the port of Al-Faw, and an invitation was extended to US and European companies to submit their offers to establish this platform."