Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani chaired today, Sunday, a regular meeting to follow up oil sector development projects and plans, in the presence of the Minister of Oil and advanced cadres in the Ministry.
The Prime Minister’s media office stated: “During the meeting, the Ministry of Oil’s projects were reviewed in the field of gas investment, refinery development and the export system, as well as a review of the Ministry’s plan towards increasing production and raising the efficiency of wealth investment.”
The Prime Minister stressed the adoption of the “integrated project” principle when investing in oil and gas fields, provided that it includes a number of projects for petrochemical refineries, the gas industry, and electric power production stations, in addition to the chemical and fertilizer industries, with the aim of filling the urgent need for them in the local markets.
The meeting witnessed a review of the progress of work on refinery projects and an emphasis on the need to complete them as quickly as possible. In order to reach self-sufficiency in petroleum derivatives and fuel, especially after the Karbala refinery was successfully operated.
Al-Sudani directed the Ministry of Oil to invite companies specialized in the field of constructing refineries to invest in Iraq.
He stressed the importance of completing gas projects and expanding investment in Iraqi fields producing natural gas, for the purpose of supplying power stations and national fertilizer producing factories with their gas needs.
Al-Sudani stressed the need to complete expansion and maintenance projects for Iraqi oil ports, and storage and drainage complexes throughout Iraq.
He directed to follow up the implementation of the Ministry’s short-term and long-term plans to accommodate local economic requirements and the global market’s need for Iraqi oil and oil derivatives in the foreseeable future, and the need to highlight Iraq’s active and important role in OPEC.
Al-Sudani also renewed his directives on the importance of adhering to the timetables prepared for the implementation stages, and early work to overcome all administrative and technical obstacles to the completion of projects.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency