Oil production in Iraqi oil fields in the south of the country is falling by an average of 7% per year. The problem: a high water cut that is forcing South Oil Co. (SOC) engineers to shut down wells one after the other. But as they lose the old wells in West Qurna, Rumaila, Zubair, Majnoon and Nahr Bin Umar, the drilling of new ones to replace them is not…
Tag: West Qurna
Iraq Aims to Hike Capacity by End-2003, Despite Sanctions
10 July 2002 Iraq is aiming to increase its sustainable oil production capacity to 3.5 million barrels per day by the end of 2003, without help from foreign oil companies and assuming that UN sanctions remain in force for the foreseeable future, Iraqi oil ministry sources say. Iraqi Oil Minister Amer Rashid recently put current sustainable production capacity at 3.2 million-3.3 million b/d, although other estimates are lower. Under a…
Solo Efforts
4 July 2002 Iraq is developing its oil fields with or without foreign help — including the giant fields promised to companies such as France’s Total Fina Elf and Russia’s Lukoil. But the firms are always welcome to hop on board, Iraqi Oil Minister Amer Rashid says. Under a “national effort” launched in 1999, Iraq brought the giant southern Majnoon oil field on stream last year, Rashid says. The field…