Akkas gas field falters despite increasing power needs

FALLUJAH - One year after the Iraqi government approved a new plan to fast-track development of the Akkas gas field in western Anbar province, production has dropped and foreign personnel are unable to access the field at a time when demand is rising for feedstock to generate electricity.

The field is currently producing just 21 million standard cubic feet per day (scf/d), according to a senior Iraqi oil official with knowledge of the project, which is about half of its developed capacity and one-fifth of the target set by the Iraqi Cabinet in April 2025 when it approved a plan to bring production up to 100 million scf/d within a year.