France’s TotalEnergies Company will help Iraq end gas flaring in five oilfields within one year after the commencement of a multi-billion dollar project it was awarded in mid-2023, the Arab country’s oil  minister was quoted on Thursday as saying.

Hayan Abdel Ghani told Baghdad Alyoum news agency that the $27-billion contract with TotalEnergies includes an ‘urgent project’ to stop gas flaring in oilfields in Basra region.

“The agreement with TotalEnergies stipulates that the company should embark on an urgent project to utilise gas and stop gas flaring within one year,” Abdel Ghani said.

“This is an integrated energy and environment project as it will halt the practice of gas flaring in five key fields and add 600 million cubic feet of gas per day, which we will use in power facilities in that area,” he added.

Under the agreement, TotalEnergies will also develop oilfields and build a one GW solar power plant and a water desalination facility.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Bhaskar Raj)

(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.