Shafaq News- Najaf

Najaf plans to begin crude oil production from the exploratory al-Qarnain field, which spans roughly 8,773 square kilometers near the Saudi border, within a year, Governor Youssef Kanawi said on Tuesday, after a Chinese company completed exploration work and drilled two wells at the site.

Speaking at a press conference, Kanawi said Najaf contains three main oil fields, including two shared exploratory blocks with neighboring provinces, Unit 33 and Unit 36, and technical work continues on a fourth field in the province.

Iraq's Ministry of Oil announced on May 7, 2026, the discovery of a major oil field in Najaf province, in the largely underdeveloped desert area along the Iraqi-Saudi border. The field, located in the al-Qarnain block and explored by China's state-owned Zhenhua Oil, holds estimated reserves of 8.83 billion barrels of light crude oil, with an initial daily production rate of 3,248 barrels. The block spans 8,773 square kilometers in southwestern Iraq and was awarded to the Chinese company during Iraq's 2024 licensing round. The find ranks among the most significant oil discoveries in Iraq in recent years.