Iraq to speed up development of 2 gas fields
Bassem Mohammed Khudair, Iraq's Deputy Oil Minister for Extraction, emphasized the urgency of investing in the two fields during a visit to the Midland Oil Company, where he reviewed ongoing production projects and infrastructure development, according to a ministry statement.
The Mansouriya gas field holds an estimated 4.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and could produce over 300 million cubic feet per day if fully developed, he said.
Last month, Iraq's cabinet authorized the Oil Ministry to sign a development contract for the field with a consortium led by China's Jereh Group and Petro Iraq. Previous agreements with other foreign firms, including Chinese and Turkish companies, had stalled without explanation.
Iraq has four major non-associated gas fields: Akkas in Al-Anbar, Mansouriya in Diyala, Siba in Basra, and Khor Mor in Al-Sulaymaniyah. In mid-2023, Baghdad signed four contracts with France's TotalEnergies to boost oil and gas production.
The urgency to secure domestic gas supplies has intensified after US President Donald Trump revoked Iraq's sanctions waiver for importing electricity and gas from Iran. For years, Iraq has relied on Iranian energy imports, particularly during peak summer demand, benefiting from repeated US exemptions.
In response, Baghdad has sought alternative sources, including a deal to import gas from Turkmenistan. However, the arrangement, which involves routing gas through Iran, has faced logistical and financial hurdles, delaying implementation.
(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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