Iraq LNG import terminal startup pushed to 2027

Shafaq News- Baghdad

US-based Excelerate Energy has delayed the launch of Iraq’s first integrated liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal to 2027 due to construction setbacks linked to the Middle East conflict, IndexBox reported, citing the company.

Work on jetty reinforcement and fixed terminal infrastructure has experienced temporary setbacks, pushing the startup date back from the previously expected third quarter of 2026, the report added.

In October 2025, Excelerate signed a binding commercial agreement with an affiliate of Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity for the venture, which includes a five-year LNG supply and regasification agreement with renewal options and a minimum daily offtake commitment of 250 million standard cubic feet.

The company said the terminal’s long-term outlook remains unchanged, pointing to Iraq’s persistent electricity shortages and limited domestic gas processing capacity as major factors sustaining demand for LNG imports. Excelerate added that construction work would resume once regional conditions permit, saying recent developments have underscored Iraq’s need for reliable and scalable LNG infrastructure.

Iraq LNG import terminal startup pushed to 2027

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