Iraq’s Strategic Energy Initiatives: A Focus on Oil and Electricity
On Sunday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shi’a Al-Sudani convened a significant meeting aimed at evaluating the progress of ongoing projects within the oil sector and formulating a comprehensive strategy to ensure adequate electrical energy supply for the upcoming summer.
The Minister of Electricity presented an outline for the ministry’s plan to secure electrical energy in the coming months, along with details pertaining to the operational readiness of gas stations. This presentation included insights into the anticipated demands and readiness of infrastructure necessary for energy supply.
In parallel, the Minister of Oil detailed the ministry’s strategy to furnish fuel for power plants. The discussion encompassed agreed-upon quantities, the operational status of floating and mobile platforms, and the various bids submitted by companies for related projects.
A key decision made during the meeting was the urgent completion of a gas transmission line connecting the power plants in Basra to the mobile platform. Contracts will be signed with relevant companies to expedite the functioning of this platform, addressing the required quantities of gas oil for the power stations, associated financial implications, storage considerations, and all elements essential for fuel importation.
Moreover, the meeting addressed plans to construct a new gas pipeline extending 40 kilometers from the Mahmoudiyah district to Basma city. This pipeline is crucial for enhancing gas supply and ensuring that gas-powered stations can operate at full capacity during the peak summer demand.
The agenda also included a review of strategic projects under the Ministry of Oil that are not part of the national government program. This encompassed the fifth and sixth licensing round projects, the oil transportation tubing project from Basra to Haditha, as well as an assessment of project completion rates for February and overall progress within the government program for the current fiscal year.
Conversations focused on the completion rates of extraction sector projects, particularly the joint sea water pipeline initiative overseen by Basra Oil Company. This included evaluations of a variety of projects: the joint sea water treatment plant, the fourth and fifth marine pipeline projects, the execution of the Artawi Gas Complex (Phase II), and the development of the Mansourieh, Akaz, and Al-Faiha fields. Additionally, attention was given to the contracts resulting from the fifth licensing round and progress within the FCC assistant factor project.
This structured oversight underscores Iraq’s commitment to maintaining its energy infrastructure and ensuring operational efficiency in its oil and electricity sectors, crucial for meeting future demands.
