Iraq starts work on $800mln expansion of Al-Diwaniyah refinery
The upgrade will add new refining units to increase capacity by 70,000 barrels per day (bpd), raising the refinery's total capacity to 90,000 bpd, reports by the Iraq News Agency (INA) and the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office said.
The expansion project, remotely launched by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani includes units for processing liquefied gas with a capacity of 180 tonnes per day, a gasoline improvement unit with a capacity of 10,000 bpd, a naphtha isomerisation unit (8,000 bpd) and a naphtha hydrotreating unit (18,000 bpd).
Additional components involve facilities for producing white oil, gas oil, and fuel oil, as well as nitrogen production, power generation, and storage and pumping stations.
The Iraqi PMO said the country expects to achieve full self-sufficiency in oil derivatives and begin exporting petroleum products upon the completion of refinery expansions in Maysan, Al-Diwaniyah, and Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf, the news agency reported.
Iraq aims to convert 40 percent of its produced oil into refining and downstream industries to meet domestic demand and support exports.
(Writing by P Deol; Editing by Anoop Menon)
(anoop.menon@lseg.com)
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