Operations at Iraq’s ageing Daura refinery have received a 70,000-90,000 b/d shot-in-the arm with the commissioning late last year of a new strategic crude pipeline supplying the 140,000 b/d facility, an Iraqi oil source tells MEES. A lack of crude has limited runs at Daura over the past few years to a maximum of 70,000 b/d, with heavy reliance on trucked supply.
Now Daura is receiving around 40,000 b/d from the northern Kirkuk field, around 10,000 b/d from the Ahdab and Naft Khana fields with the new pipeline boosting runs up near capacity. A new 10,000 b/d isomerization unit should be installed within six months, allowing for production of better quality 89-90 Octane gasoline. And civil works are 30% complete for a new Continuous Catalytic Reformer unit, which when finally up and running in around two years should allow the refinery to produce lead free gasoline for the first time, says the source. (CONTINUED - 278 WORDS)
