Oil Price: Iraq halts fuel imports
Oil Price: Iraq halts fuel imports
11-8-2025
The Iraqi Ministry of Oil, a website specializing in economic and energy affairs, revealed in a report published Saturday that Iraq has ordered a halt to imports of intermediate fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and kerosene, citing increased domestic oil production and expanded refining capacity. The
report, translated by Al-Maalomah News Agency, stated that “despite official claims of self-sufficiency, Iraq continues to import certain types of high-octane gasoline and low-sulfur diesel, which local refineries cannot produce to European standards. This energy independence is contrasted by a massive electricity shortage and continued reliance on imported natural gas to power the power grid.” The
report added that “Iraq has boosted its oil production and exports, partly due to the success of the Nasiriyah field, in addition to increased production quotas under the OPEC+ agreement. Specifically, production at the Nasiriyah field rose to 80,000 barrels per day after nine wells were brought online, bringing the country’s total oil exports to an average of between 3.4 and 3.45 million barrels per day in September.”
He continued, “Iraq, an OPEC member, currently has a nominal refining capacity of around 1.3 million barrels per day, with plans to increase this to over 1.5 million barrels per day in the near future. Previously, the country’s refining sector suffered greatly due to repeated terrorist attacks, including the destruction of the 150,000-barrel-per-day North Refinery by ISIS in 2014. According to FGE oil analyst Balash Jain, refinery upgrades have significantly contributed to Iraq achieving self-sufficiency in petroleum products.”
The analyst stated, “Iraq primarily imports two petroleum products: gasoline and gas oil (diesel). Over the past two to three years, Iraq has made tremendous efforts to upgrade its refineries, particularly in Karbala, Basra, and Kirkuk.” He added, “This development will help the country reduce its import bills and support economic growth.”
almaalomah.me
