Iraq Aims to Double Natural Gas Processing Capacity Within Four Years
Despite a lack of sufficient infrastructure, Iraq is setting ambitious goals to increase its natural gas processing capacity to 100 percent within the next four years. Currently, Iraq extracts 3.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, but only processes 1.8 billion cubic feet per day, resulting in a significant difference of over one billion cubic feet.
In efforts to reduce gas flaring, Iraq is expanding its production facilities and investing in new energy projects in southern governorates like Basra and Maysan. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani aims to eliminate gas flaring by 2028 by ensuring that all extracted gas is processed and utilized for local consumption or export.
As the second-largest oil producer in OPEC, Iraq currently spends $4 billion annually to import natural gas and electricity from Iran. The government’s plan to enhance natural gas processing capacity will not only lead to self-sufficiency but also reduce the country’s dependency on foreign imports.