Iraq boosts associated gas capture to 86% in southern oil fields

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq has invested 86% of associated gas produced in the Al-Zubair, Al-Rumaila, and West Qurna/1 oil fields, a senior official said on Thursday.

According to a statement by the Oil Ministry, Deputy Minister for Gas Affairs Izzat Saber Ismail noted that raw gas capture rates reached 1,180 million standard cubic feet per day, while dry gas production averaged 1,000 million standard cubic feet per day, “marking the highest output achieved by the company.” Liquefied gas production reached 7,100 tons per day, while condensate output stood at 20,000 barrels per day, he added, explaining that these volumes contribute to increasing financial revenues, supporting power generation stations, and meeting domestic demand for liquefied gas used in households and vehicle fuel.

Iraq holds about 125 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, ranking 11th globally in 2025, according to the Energy Institute’s Statistical Review of World Energy. The country continues to rely heavily on oil revenues to finance public spending, with oil accounting for nearly 88% of federal budget revenues between January and November 2025, while non-oil sources contributed about 12%, according to Finance Ministry data.

Read more: Iraq’s economy in 2025: Oil dominance and delayed reforms