OPEC member Iraq is working to boost the production of its new oil refinery in the Central Karbala city after it went into operation nearly five months ago, a refinery official was quoted on Monday as saying.

The refinery is currently running at around 65 percent of its designed capacity and work is under way to expand production, said Hussein Mousa, Operation Manager.

“The South Korean contractor is operating the refinery at 65 percent of its capacity…at the end of this month, production will be increased,” Mousa told Baghdad Al-Youm newspaper.
He did not specify the increase but added the refinery, which was inaugurated in April, produces several types of products, including gasoline, kerosene and jet fuel.

“After the refinery starts operating at full capacity, it will produce more products, including upgraded gasoline, sulphur and other petroleum products,” he said.

Karbala Refinery has the capacity of 140,000 barrels per day and is being built by South Korea’s Hyundai E&C.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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