Latest news with #MohammedShiaAl-Sudani
Iraq Business
a day ago
- Business
- Iraq Business
Iraq Opens Central Gas Processing Facility at Block 9
By John Lee. The Ministry of Oil has inaugurated the Central Gas Processing Facility at the Al-Faihaa [Fayhaa, Block 9] oil field in Basra, with a capacity of 130 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD). The launch was conducted via video link by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani. The Prime Minister praised the engineers and technical teams who contributed to the successful completion of this and other gas-related projects, which align with the government's strategy to reduce gas flaring, enhance oil sector development, diversify revenues, and protect the environment. Minister Abdul Ghani reiterated the Ministry's commitment to investing in associated gas from oil fields to drive industrial development and boost national economic returns through increased and diversified income streams. He emphasised that gas projects such as this are critical for ensuring a stable fuel supply for electricity generation. The inauguration was also attended by Oil Ministry Undersecretaries Basim Mohammed Khudair (Extraction Affairs) and Izzat Saber Ismail (Gas Affairs), the Director General of South Gas Company, and officials from Basra's local government and the broader oil sector. Al Faihaa field is also known as Block 9. According to Wood Mackenzie , it is an extension of Iran's giant Yadavaran field. In January 2022, Kuwait Energy Basra Limited (KE Basra), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-based United Energy Group (UEG), entered into an EPCC (engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning) contract with a Chinese consortium to provide a central processing facility including oil treatment system and auxiliary systems at the field. The contractor was a consortium consisting of China CAMC Engineering and CNOOC Petrochemical Engineering. (Source: Ministry of Oil)
Iraq Business
2 days ago
- Business
- Iraq Business
Construction Starts at 1,000 MW Solar Power Project in Basra
By John Lee. The Iraqi Prime Minister has laid the foundation stone for the Shams Al-Basra solar power station, a landmark renewable energy project in Basra with a total generation capacity of 1,000 megawatts. Speaking at the inauguration, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani highlighted the strategic importance of the project in supporting Iraq's power generation capacity and advancing the country's clean energy goals. He pledged full government support to ensure its timely completion. The solar project forms part of a broader agreement between Iraq's Ministry of Oil and French energy giant TotalEnergies. It will be built over 9,000 dunams [900 hectares; 2,224 acres] of land and comprise 2 million solar panels divided into four units, each generating 250 MW. The facility will also include: A 132 kV transmission network spanning 180 km; A newly built 132 kV substation; Upgrades to two existing ministry-owned secondary substations. The first 250 MW unit is scheduled to come online by the end of this year. Under the contract, TotalEnergies will operate and maintain the plant for 25 years. The project is expected to deliver environmental benefits by reducing air pollution, lowering reliance on fossil fuels, and cutting carbon emissions. It will supply power to three secondary substations across the region. (Source: PMO)
Iraq Business
4 days ago
- Business
- Iraq Business
Re-Zoning Iraqi Agricultural Land to Residential Use
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has chaired a high-level meeting to review progress on implementing Cabinet Decision No. 320 of 2022, which allows the conversion of state-owned agricultural land into residential plots. The meeting included advisors and officials from Baghdad Municipality and state property departments, and focused on streamlining procedures for issuing land deeds to current residents based on approved designs and legal frameworks. Al-Sudani praised the efforts of the specialised committee overseeing the process and called for accelerating deed issuance, offering flexible payment methods, and considering supplementary decisions to improve implementation. The session also reviewed areas where deed issuance has been completed and others still undergoing administrative processing. (Source: PMO)
Iraq Business
5 days ago
- Business
- Iraq Business
Al-Nukhba to Upgrade at Dora Power Station in Baghdad
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has laid the foundation stone for a major upgrade at the Dora [Doura] Thermal Power Plant in Baghdad, including the rehabilitation of two existing thermal units (2 x 160 MW) and the installation of two new units (2 x 160 MW), adding a total of 640 MW to the grid. Speaking at the launch event on Monday, Al-Sudani highlighted the strategic importance of the plant due to its central location in Baghdad and its ability to utilise output from the nearby Dora Refinery under strict environmental standards. He reaffirmed the government's ongoing efforts to secure fuel supply for all power plants and to achieve energy independence. " By the end of 2027, Iraq will have attained self-sufficiency in gas supply for all current and future power stations ," he said. The Prime Minister also praised the Ministry of Electricity for maintaining a steady and acceptable level of electricity supply through its decongestion programme for transmission and distribution sectors. He noted that Iraq is also advancing renewable energy initiatives, with solar power projects expected to come online within a year. The new and rehabilitated units will be connected to the 132 kV internal grid in the Karkh area of Baghdad, supporting electricity distribution and meeting rising local demand. Rehabilitation of the existing units will be carried out on a phased schedule to avoid production downtime, using fuel from the adjacent refinery. The project is being implemented by Dubai-based Al-Nukhba OFS. (Source: PMO)
Iraq Business
6 days ago
- Business
- Iraq Business
Iraqi PM Discusses Oil & Gas Investment with US Firm
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani received a delegation from U.S. oil services firm Morgan Hughes, led by the company's Vice President Gregory Bloom, in a meeting held on Tuesday and attended by Steven Fagin, Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. The talks focused on potential cooperation and investment opportunities, including the development of oil fields and the capture of associated gas. Prime Minister Al-Sudani reiterated Iraq's goal to fully utilise all associated gas produced from its oil fields by 2028. He emphasised that the government seeks to ensure its oil contracts promote local employment, with a particular focus on secondary contracts benefitting the Iraqi private sector. He also stressed the importance of training Iraqi engineers and technicians in the latest technologies used in oil and gas projects. Mr. Bloom expressed his company's interest in partnering with Iraq in gas investment and field development, and in supporting the country's ongoing economic growth through technological cooperation in the energy sector. (Source: PMO)
