Iraq’s Gas: Delays Now, Feedstock Crunch Later?

8 Mar 2024 Issue: 67 / 10 By: Yesar Al-Maleki

Iraq says that it can now utilize more than 60% of its 3bn cfd raw gas output. Planned processing additions could theoretically bring an end to routine flaring. But project delays remain an ongoing risk, while gas capture capacity doesn’t always align with producing areas.

For the past two decades Iraq has suffered acute gas shortages due to the lack of infrastructure to capture and process volumes associated with crude output, leading to wasteful flaring. As a result, the country is dependent on unreliable and expensive pipeline imports from neighboring Iran. For a change, there are now signs of progress. Izzat Sabir, Deputy Oil Minister for Gas Affairs, tells MEES (MEES, 8 March) that his country now flares less than 40% of raw wellhead gas output, down from more than 65% a decade ago.

The gains have been achieved thanks to an expansion of associated gas treatment capacity upstream and recent processing gains at NGL facilities run by Basrah Gas Company (BGC). Mr Sabir says that of the 3.12bn cfd of raw gas produced in 2023, some 1.92bn cfd was captured and field-treated. (CONTINUED - 2812 WORDS)