OPEC member Iraq is pushing ahead with plans to more than double the production capacity of its Haditha oil refinery as part of a post-war scheme to upgrade the hydrocarbon sector, an official was quoted on Wednesday as saying.

Haditha refinery in the Western Al-Anbar, Iraq’s largest governorate, currently produces nearly 16,000 barrels per day (bpd) following maintenance projects over the past years.

“We are pursuing a project to boost the refinery’s capacity to 36,000 bpd…about 70 percent of the project has been executed,” the refinery’s manager Hassan Abdul Aziz said.

In a statement published by Aliqtisad News network, Abdul Aziz said the General Company for Heavy Engineering Machinery, a subsidiary of the Oil Ministry, is executing the expansion project.

Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

Subscribe to our Projects' PULSE newsletter that brings you trustworthy news, updates and insights on project activities, developments, and partnerships across sectors in the Middle East and Africa.