KRG inaugurates +$590M Erbil–Duhok gas pipeline
Shafaq News – Duhok
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday called for stronger energy cooperation with Baghdad, affirming the Region’s readiness to assist the Iraqi government.
Speaking during the inauguration of a $591 million, 198-kilometer natural gas pipeline linking Erbil and Duhok, Barzani reaffirmed that Kurdistan’s oil, gas, and mineral resources belong to all its citizens, adding that revenues are used fairly to serve all provinces and cities.
He also indicated that gas production in the Kurdistan Region has doubled through government and private-sector investment, positioning it as a potential electricity supplier to Iraq and neighboring countries.
The new pipeline will replace diesel with cleaner natural gas, reduce generation costs, and support the Runaki Project to deliver 24-hour electricity across the Region by next year, the PM confirmed.
According to Barzani, work is underway on new energy initiatives, including a Khor Mor–Chamchamal gas pipeline and solar energy programs offering low-interest bank loans for citizens.
Kurdistan Region, home to Iraq’s largest non-associated gas field at Khor Mor, remains part of the country’s wider gas-flaring crisis. Iraq burns about 18 billion cubic meters of gas annually—fuel that could power its electricity sector—while spending nearly $3 billion a year on Iranian imports. Despite pledges to end flaring by 2028, progress is hampered by weak infrastructure, corruption, and repeated attacks on gas sites.
Read more: Iraq's gas flaring paradox: a wealth of resources, a nation in need
