Iraq Plans to Increase Oil Production to Over 5 Mln bpd

An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)
An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)
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Iraq Plans to Increase Oil Production to Over 5 Mln bpd

An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)
An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)

The Iraqi Parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee announced that the government had made plans to increase oil production to more than 5 million barrels per day (bpd).
Member of the committee, MP Zeinab Juma al-Mousawi, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that they support the government's directions to increase oil and gas reserves and national production of crude oil and gas.
Mousawi noted that the committee also backs processing the gas associated with oil operations and converting it into wealth and productive energy that covers the local need, especially electric power plants, the petrochemical industry, fertilizers, and others.
It called upon foreign companies to export the surplus to world markets to achieve financial revenues that supply the state treasury to support the national economy and sustainable development and provide new job opportunities.
Mousawi reiterated the need to pay attention to the fields managed by national companies to create competition with international companies and increase the net profits of national companies.

She pointed out that Iraqi oil is one of the most imported oils to countries such as India, China, and South Korea, with 54 percent of the Iraqi oil since the beginning of the year.
The lawmaker indicated that Iraq achieves billions of dollars from oil sales, contributing to the country's general budget in investment and operational fields.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi oil minister announced that crude oil exports averaged 3.3 million bpd in May.
The ministry said Iraq's May oil revenue was $7.3 billion, with an average price per barrel of $71.30.
Notably, Iraq's exports from the country's northern fields in Kurdistan and Kirkuk via Türkiye’s Ceyhan have been suspended for about four months.
Baghdad has won an international arbitration case to halt oil exports from the semi-autonomous Kurdish region, limiting Iraq's oil exports to the Oil Marketing Company (SOMO).
Iraq's oil exports to the United States amounted to about 7.5 million barrels in June.
On Sunday, Shafaq News reported that Iraq exported 7.5 million barrels of crude oil to the US during June, with an average of 250,000 bpd.
The figure marked an increase compared to May, during which Iraqi oil exports to the US amounted to 6.634 million barrels, averaging 214,000 bpd.
According to the agency, Iraq exported crude oil to the US during the first week of last month at an average of 430,000 barrels per day, while it exported an average of 252,000 in the second week and an average of 102,000 barrels per day in the third week. The standard of exports for the fourth week was 1,000 barrels per day.

 



Oil Up as Israel, Hezbollah Trade Accusations of Ceasefire Violation

FILE - An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, makes an appearance over pumpjacks as they draw out oil and gas from well heads near Cremona, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
FILE - An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, makes an appearance over pumpjacks as they draw out oil and gas from well heads near Cremona, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
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Oil Up as Israel, Hezbollah Trade Accusations of Ceasefire Violation

FILE - An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, makes an appearance over pumpjacks as they draw out oil and gas from well heads near Cremona, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
FILE - An aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, makes an appearance over pumpjacks as they draw out oil and gas from well heads near Cremona, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

Oil prices ticked up on Thursday after Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah traded accusations that their ceasefire had been violated, and as Israeli tanks fired on south Lebanon.

OPEC+ also delayed by a few days a meeting likely to extend production cuts.

Brent crude futures edged up by 30 cents, or 0.4%, to $73.13 a barrel by 1741 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 23 cents, 0.3%, at $68.93. Trading was thin because of the US Thanksgiving holiday, Reuters reported.
Israel's military said the ceasefire was violated after what it called suspects, some in vehicles, arrived at several areas in the southern zone.
The deal, which took effect on Wednesday, was intended to allow people in both countries to start returning to homes in border areas shattered by 14 months of fighting.
The Middle East is one of the world's major oil-producing regions, and while the ongoing conflict has not so far not impacted supply it has been reflected in a risk premium for traders.
Elsewhere, OPEC+, comprising the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, delayed its next policy meeting to Dec. 5 from Dec. 1 to avoid a conflict with another event.
Also supporting prices, OPEC+ sources have said there will again be discussion over another delay to an oil output increase scheduled for January.
"It's highly unlikely they are going to announce an increase production at this meeting," said Rory Johnston, analyst at Commodity Context.
The group pumps about half the world's oil but has maintained production cuts to support prices. It hopes to unwind those cuts, but weak global demand has forced it to delay the start of gradual increases.
A further delay has mostly been factored in to oil prices already, said Suvro Sarkar at DBS Bank. "The only question is whether it's a one-month pushback, or three, or even longer."
Depressing prices slightly, US gasoline stocks rose 3.3 million barrels in the week ending Nov. 22, the US Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday, countering expectations of a small draw in fuel stocks ahead of holiday travel.
Slowing fuel demand growth in top consumers China and the US has weighed on oil prices this year.