The Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Minister of Oil confirmed that the accelerated gas investment project from the Artawi field with a capacity of 50 million standard cubic feet contributes to adding new capacities of gas fuel to the national gas production network, and will provide power generation stations with their fuel needs, noting that the project will be completed this year.
The Minister said during his attendance and sponsorship of the foundation stone laying ceremony for the project, that the ministry has achieved great and many achievements in the field of investing gas associated with oil production operations, through promising projects, noting that the integrated gas development project in Basra, which the ministry signed a contract with the French company Total to invest 600 million standard cubic feet per day from five oil fields in two phases, is one of the important projects for gas investment, explaining that each phase will have a capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet per day, and that the first phase will be completed after three years, and the second after five years.
The Minister explained that the Ministry, in implementation of the government program, worked to accelerate gas investment through a program and work plan agreed upon with the implementing agency, Total Company, which is outside the contract format, due to the country's need for it to maintain the operation of power generation stations.
Al-Sawad added that the Ministry is proceeding with its development projects for gas fields, in parallel with its plans to invest associated gas, and the Ministry has signed many contracts for gas field development projects with international companies specialized in the field of gas, and these contracts included the development of the "Akkas and Mansouriya" fields, in addition to the development of a number of fields and exploration patches within the fifth, fifth supplementary and sixth licensing rounds. All of these energies, in addition to the energies currently achieved from gas investment, will achieve self-sufficiency in gas production.
The Minister praised the national effort working in the oil formations spread across all governorates, especially Basra Governorate, who work tirelessly to achieve achievements in the various sectors of the Ministry, stressing the need to exert more efforts to achieve industrial and economic development for the country. Total CEO Mr. Julien Bouget said that the company is working according to the plans specified in the contract and is working to increase production rates in the Artawi field and invest gas from the oil fields.
At the end of the ceremony, Mr. "Julian" presented the shield of the launch of the Artawi accelerated gas project to the Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Minister of Oil.