The long-stalled project is taking tentative steps forward with a $5 billion federal budget financing provision and a recent equipment tender.
Nationwide crude output is far below developed capacity due to the ongoing northern pipeline outage, southern infrastructure constraints, and — most acutely — quota pressure from OPEC-plus.
Exports declined by about 60,000 bpd as Iraq continues to move toward compliance with recently extended OPEC-plus production caps.
China's CNCEC has signed a contract for the 300,000 bpd refinery. The total price could rise to $20 billion with the construction of a petrochemical plant and power plant.
April output in federal Iraq dropped by 100,000 bpd, with cuts coming mostly from state-run fields in Basra.
Iraq's Oil Ministry has now awarded 13 new projects across three days of bidding in the five-plus and sixth licensing rounds.
Ten of the 12 projects awarded so far in Iraq's latest oil and gas contracting process have gone to Chinese companies, with one more day of bidding expected Monday.
Three-day event kicks off with awards to KAR Group and multiple Chinese firms. Bids on 20 more projects expected in the next two days.
The state-operated field in Basra could become the centerpiece of an integrated project led by China’s Geo Jade and Iraqi private firm Hilal al-Basra.
Khudair Abbas replaces Ammar al-Anbagi as the head of Iraq's state oil marketing company.
