Baghdad opens 30-million-cubic-foot gas unit

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair inaugurated a gas processing unit with a capacity of 30 million standard cubic feet per day at the southern section of the East Baghdad oilfield on Tuesday, according to the Oil Ministry.

Khudair said the ministry aims to integrate gas production and processing with other sectors, adding that the project would support the national electricity grid, reduce reliance on imported fuel, and cut harmful emissions in Baghdad.

The minister also instructed the field’s management and companies operating there to transfer technology and expertise to Iraqi staff through training programs aimed at enabling local engineers and technicians to operate the facilities.

Khudair also instructed that residents of areas surrounding the field and elsewhere in Baghdad receive priority for job opportunities, and urged greater participation by Iraqi private companies and local contractors in work supporting the project.

Iraq ranked among the world's largest gas-flaring countries in 2025, alongside Russia and Iran, according to the World Bank. The three countries collectively flared about 84 billion cubic meters of gas, nearly half of the global total of 167 billion cubic meters. Iraq was also among nine countries that together accounted for more than 80% of global gas flaring.

Read more: Iraq's gas flaring paradox: a wealth of resources, a nation in need