Iraq's Ministry of Oil pledges boosted oil products quality

Shafaq News/ Karbala's oil refinery will be able to provide premium oil products once it functions in full capacity starting from early 2022, Iraq's Minister of Oil Ihsan Abdul Jabar said.

Abdul Jabar's comments came in a press conference on the inauguration of the Karbala refinery building earlier today, Wednesday.

"The Karbala refinery is in the final stages," Minister Abdul Jabar said, "it will be operating starting from early next year."

"At the moment, the power production plants are being pilot operated. The remaining production units will be put into service consequently."

The Ministry's undersecretary for Refining affairs, Hamed Younes, asserted the Ministry's endeavors to "boost the refining sector in Iraq by building new refineries and upgrading the operating refineries."

"Karbala refinery runs at a capacity of 140,000 barrels per day, and it follows environment standards and universal qualifications."

On December 7, 2017, the Iraqi cabinet awarded the contract of the Karbala refinery construction to a consortium of South Korean firms led by Hyundai. The mega-size project valued at $6.04 billion is sought to be complete by 54 months.