Iran surpasses Iraq in global gas flaring

Shafaq News/ Iran has replaced Iraq as the second worst country in the world in terms of gas flaring after Russia during the past year 2023.

Iran and Russia showed increases throughout the year, while Iraq was slightly lower, according to the 2023 World Bank's Global Gas Flaring Tracker, viewed by Shafaq News Agency.

After declining in 2022, global gas flaring rose 7% in 2023 to 148 billion cubic meters, the highest level since 2019, according to the World Bank report.

In 2023, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar increased the amounts of gas flaring compared to 2022, while the quantities of gas flaring decreased in Algeria, Egypt, and Oman in the same period.

The report showed that this is the fourth consecutive decline in gas flaring in Oman, and there was no significant change in the UAE and Syria during the year.

The report added that the nine largest gas-flaring countries in the world, including Algeria and Libya, represent 75% of total gas flaring and 46% of oil production.

Iraq increased its oil production, but gas flaring decreased by 1% last year. The country emphasized reducing gas flaring during the past few months and signed multiple agreements with US companies to reduce gas flaring.

In this context, seven deals were signed with US companies in April on associated gas and flaring, a major problem in Iraq that results in a loss of power generation and leaves the country dependent on electricity imports from Iran.