Iraq Energy Profile: Second Largest Crude Oil Producer In OPEC – Analysis
By EIA
Iraq (Federal Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government) is the second-largest crude oil producer in OPEC after Saudi Arabia and the sixth-largest total petroleum liquids producer in the world.1 It holds the world’s fifth-largest proved crude oil reserves, at 145 billion barrels, representing 17% of proved reserves in the Middle East and 8% of global reserves.2 Most of Iraq’s major known fields—all of which are located onshore—are producing or are in development.3 Most of Iraq’s crude oil is located in the southern Basra region, the Diyala region east of Baghdad, and the northeastern Kirkuk region.4
After holding parliamentary elections in October 2021, Federal Iraq took a year to form a consensus government under the leadership of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. This government gridlock delayed key legislation, the passing of an annual budget, and financing for major energy projects by the government and foreign investors.5 After not having a budget for 2022, Iraq approved annual budgets for 2023, 2024, and 2025 in June 2023 that included funding for infrastructure projects.6
Crude oil export revenues account for a large part of Iraq’s economy. In 2022, crude oil export revenue accounted for an estimated 95% of Iraq’s total government revenues, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).7 Iraq’s net oil revenues rose to $131 billion in 2022 from $92 billion (2022 dollars) in 2021, driven by higher oil prices and increased production.8 We expect that the decrease in global oil prices and lower crude oil production in Iraq in 2023 (following the OPEC+ cuts and supply disruptions in northern Iraq) will significantly decrease Iraq’s oil export revenues.9
Iraq consumed an estimated 2 quadrillion British thermal units of total primary energy in 2021, making it the fifth-largest energy consumer in the Middle East behind Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.10 Natural gas and oil accounted for almost all of Iraq’s total primary energy consumption; hydropower and solar energy contributed marginally. Iraq will continue to mostly use oil to meet energy demand until it develops more natural gas processing capacity and pipeline infrastructure.
Kurdistan Regional Government and Federal Iraq
Federal Iraq refers to the political entity that is governed by the central government of Iraq in Baghdad. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the official ruling body of the semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq that is predominantly Kurdish, has been involved in disputes with the central government related to sovereignty for about three decades.
KRG oil production fell after reaching nearly 470,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2019 to less than 440,000 b/d by 2022.11 The KRG’s payment delays to international oil companies (IOCs) over the past few years, along with the region’s exploration fields that have not yielded expected results drove these declines. As a result, IOC investment over time in exploration and field development has declined.12
We expect that 2023 crude oil production from the KRG will decline on an annual basis because of the Iraq-to-Turkey (ITP) pipeline closure at the end of March 2023 and the limited outlets to sell crude oil production locally to refiners (see the Energy Trade section for more details). Although most of the production in northern Iraq was shut in or placed into storage after the pipeline stopped operating, the KRG fields increased production from nearly 120,000 b/d in April 2023 to around 200,000 b/d in August 2023. This crude oil travels mostly to northern refineries, although these outlets have reached their capacity.
Federal Iraq’s 2023 budget stipulates that the KRG release 400,000 b/d of crude oil to Federal Iraq in return for a portion of the federal budget. However, the closure of the pipeline from the KRG to Turkey in March 2023 hampers the KRG’s ability to produce 400,000 b/d because of the limited outlets to southern Iraq. The KRG sent around 85,000 b/d to Federal Iraq in August 2023, up from 35,000 b/d in July. Federal Iraq sends this volume to the refinery in Erbil for processing and local consumption.13 Following the Iraq-to-Turkey pipeline closure, the KRG has had a hard time making a profit and has received loans from Federal Iraq over the past several months to pay civil servant salaries.14
The IOCs that are producing crude oil in the KRG region have to sell their crude oil production for much lower revenues than before the ITP pipeline closed. Federal Iraq’s new budget does not compensate these producers with the revenues they previously received from their contracts with the KRG. IOCs are requesting that they be compensated based on the agreement with the KRG, and the lack of resolution likely will affect future investment and the ability to raise production if and when the ITP reopens.15
Petroleum and other Liquids
Iraq, one of the members of the OPEC+ agreement, raised its crude oil output (excluding condensates) in 2022 by nearly 400,000 barrels per day (b/d) from an average of less than 4.1 million in 2020 and 2021 to more than 4.4 million b/d, after the OPEC+ members reversed the significant production cuts made in 2020. The central government in Baghdad produced about 4 million b/d, and the KRG supplied less than 440,000 b/d from the northern fields that it currently operates.16 Iraq (including the KRG) produced, on average, almost 4.6 million b/d of total petroleum liquids in 2022.17
Iraq’s crude oil production fell to 4.3 million b/d in the first half of 2023, and we expect that Iraq’s 2023 crude oil production will be lower than in 2022 because of the OPEC+ production cuts made in November 2022 and voluntary reductions made by Iraq in 2023.18 In June 2023, OPEC+ agreed to extend crude oil production cuts through 2024, and Iraq’s government announced that it will continue voluntary production cuts through 2024, which would leave Iraq’s production target at about 4.2 million b/d.19
We estimate that Iraq’s effective crude oil production capacity was 4.4 million b/d as of mid-2023, down from 4.8 million b/d at the beginning of 2023. The addition of a new refinery and restoration of some equipment at the Basra export terminal boosted production capacity in 2023. However, the removal of around 400,000 b/d of export capacity in northern Iraq more than offset any additions. Export infrastructure at the southern oil terminals is constrained, and midstream projects are often delayed because of insufficient investment and bureaucratic hurdles.20
Iraq’s oil ministry plans to lift crude oil production capacity to 7 million b/d by 2027 and will target several upstream expansion projects from fields in southern Iraq to bolster the country’s output (Table 2).21 Some of these projects are likely to be delayed because of Iraq’s political struggles, regulatory challenges, delays in restoring and expanding the southern export infrastructure, and the international oil companies’ uncertainty about the investment climate.
Iraq’s oil production requires more water injection to maintain its reservoir pressures and to increase oil production. TotalEnergies intends to invest in a 7.5 million b/d seawater conversion project as part of its energy agreement with Iraq to bolster oil production from mature fields in southern Iraq.22 Iraq finalized its agreement with TotalEnergies in July 2023, and the seawater conversion project is slated to come online in 2027, assuming no further project delays.23
Iraq consumed about 900,000 b/d of petroleum and other liquids in 2022.24 Domestic refineries meet most of Iraq’s petroleum product needs; however, Iraq imports some petroleum products, primarily gasoline and diesel.25 Iraq also uses crude oil and high sulfur fuel oil for electric power generation.26
Iraq’s total operating refining capacity is about 1.2 million b/d.27 The Iraqi government plans to reduce petroleum product imports by rehabilitating the refining sector and building new refineries, but the government has struggled in its efforts to attract the foreign investment needed in the downstream sector. Iraq’s refineries produce more heavy fuel oil than is needed domestically and not enough gasoline and diesel to meet domestic demand.
Several new refineries are planned, along with capacity expansion and upgrades at a number of existing refineries, to alleviate domestic product shortages, reduce government import costs for oil products, and eventually increase exports of refined products.28 Iraq brought online the 140,000 b/d-Karbala refinery in April 2023, although technical issues made the plant inoperable for part of the summer. The Karbala reached full capacity in September 2023.29 Iraq plans to commission two refinery projects in 2024. The South Refineries Company is expanding its Basra refinery by 70,000 b/d. However, an ongoing financial dispute between Iraq’s refining company and the contractor is delaying the project.30 Iraq also plans to repair a damaged 150,000 b/d-crude distillation unit at the Baiji refinery complex by the end of 2024.31 Other refinery projects are still in the planning stages, although Iraq’s regulatory challenges and economic issues are hurdles for potential investors.32
| Field name | Operator or project investor | Additional capacity (thousand of barrels per day) | Announced start date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missan Cluster (Bazergan, Fakka, and Abu Gharb fields) | China’s CNOOC | 100 | November 2022 | CNOOC expanded the Missan Cluster’s capacity to 300,000 b/d in November 2022.33 |
| Majnoon | Basra Oil Company | 200 | End–2023 | Shell exited the field ownership in 2018.34 |
| Zubair | ENI | 50 | End–2024 | Any future expansions will require more water injection35 |
| Faihaa crude oil processing facility | China’s United Energy Group | 100 | Second half 2024 | Located on the border with Iran. Plans include expanding the Faihaa field capacity from 50,000 barrels per day (b/d) to 130,000 b/d. The crude oil processing facility could also process oil from nearby fields.36 |
| Ratawi | TotalEnergies | 130 | 2025 | Field expansion is part of TotalEnergies’ $27 billion deal signed in September 2021 with Iraq. Agreement was finalized in July 2023. Planned expansion of field capacity to 210,000 b/d.37 |
| West Qurna-1 | ExxonMobil and Basra Oil Company | 330 | 2028 | Iraq awarded a drilling contract to services firm Schlumberger. Iraq’s dispute with ExxonMobil over the company’s exit from the field’s partnership and the uncertainty of Basra Oil Company’s ability to invest in the expansion are likely to delay this project.38 |
| Fields in the Dhi Qar province (Nasariya, Gharaf, and Subba) | Dhi Qar Oil Company (DQOC) | 310 | 2028 | Iraq began negotiations with Chevron in 2020 to explore and develop more fields in the Dhi Qar province. These fields produced an aggregate of about 220,000 b/d at the end of 2021, and Iraq targets a total production of 600,000 b/d.39 The negotiations have not progressed as of September 2023. DQOC raised capacity at Subba oil field from 10,000 b/d to 100,000 b/d in early 2023.40 |
| Eridu | Lukoil | 250 | 2028 | The pilot phase will include 30,000 b/d starting in 2025 and lasting through 2028. The field’s peak production target is set for 250,000 b/d.41 |
| West Qurna-2 | Lukoil | 330 | 2030 | Capacity expansion includes the Yamama reservoir. The Mishrif reservoir increased from 350,000 b/d in 2021 to 480,000 b/d in mid-2023. A pilot project for Yamama began in 2021 and as of October 2023 was producing 30,000 b/d.42 |
| Data source: Middle East Economic Survey, FACTS Global Energy Services, Rystad Energy, Al Arabiya News, and company websites Note: b/d=barrels per day | ||||
Natural Gas
At nearly 131 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), Iraq’s proved natural gas reserves at the end of 2022 were the 12th largest in the world.43 Most of Iraq’s natural gas reserves are associated with oil, and most of the associated natural gas is in large oil fields in southern Iraq.44 Although Iraq has sizeable natural gas reserves, regulatory and investment hurdles and insufficient natural gas infrastructure have kept the amount of their natural gas production available for sale relatively flat since 2016.
About two-thirds of Iraq’s natural gas output is associated natural gas, which is a byproduct of oil production.45 Production cuts from Iraq’s oil fields in early 2020, following the OPEC+ agreement, lowered associated natural gas output as well, and natural gas output was around 260 billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/y). In 2021, natural gas production returned to about 339 Bcf after production of both nonassociated natural gas from the Khor Mor field and associated natural gas rose. Iraq consumed 612 Bcf of dry natural gas in 2021, mainly for electric power generation. We expect that Iraq’s natural gas consumption growth rose higher than production in 2022.46 If Iraq commissions some of the natural gas processing plant projects scheduled to be online by 2024, natural gas production from associated natural gas fields will likely increase.
According to the World Bank, Iraq flared more than 630 Bcf of natural gas in 2022, ranking as the second-largest source country of flared natural gas in the world, behind Russia.47 Natural gas is flared because of insufficient pipeline capacity and other midstream infrastructure to move the natural gas from crude oil production areas. Iraq delayed its target to eliminate natural gas flaring to 2027.48 If Iraq can mobilize the investment for capturing its associated natural gas, it can use that natural gas to generate electricity, especially during the peak summer season. It could also reduce its natural gas imports from Iran.
Iraq is pursuing several projects to capture associated natural gas production and is negotiating several agreements with various companies to raise the country’s natural gas processing capacity from around 600 Bcf in mid-2023 to nearly 1.2 Tcf in 2027 (Table 3).49
Federal Iraq aims to not only capture and sell more associated natural gas but also to develop natural gas fields not associated with oil production to meet the country’s demand and reduce reliance on Iran for natural gas imports (Table 3). The government is prioritizing the Akkas field in western Iraq and the Mansuriya field north of Baghdad as key nonassociated natural gas projects. Although Iraq is keen to develop these fields and the required natural gas processing infrastructure for them, these projects have encountered several delays over the past decade because of issues related to security, investment, contract terms, and commitment by international partners. In March 2023, the Akkas field began partial production at a rate of 22 Bcf/y to serve a local power plant, and Iraq intends to further develop the field using foreign investment and technology.50
The KRG has one nonassociated natural gas field, Khor Mor, with an operational capacity of 183 Bcf/y, which supplies power plants in Kurdistan (Table 3). UAE’s Dana Gas, the operator of Khor Mor, began work on an expansion project that is slated to provide natural gas for domestic use in the electric power sector. Once domestic power demand is satisfied, additional capacity from the project could be exported to Turkey and the European Union or sent to power plants in northern Federal Iraq. However, new natural gas pipelines would be required to send the natural gas outside of the KRG. A series of rocket attacks in 2022 temporarily suspended work on the expansion project, but work resumed on the field expansion in early 2023.51
| Project | Operator or project investor | Additional capacity (billion cubic feet per year) | Announced start date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associated natural gas projects | ||||
| Halfaya natural gas processing plant | China’s CNPC | 110 | Early 2024 | Designed to capture flared gas from the large Halfaya oil field in Missan province. Natural gas will replace oil use in the region’s electric power sector. 52 |
| Basra Natural Gas Liquids (BNGL) project | Basra Gas Company | 73 bcf/y in Phase 1 and 73 bcf/y in Phase 2 | Second-half 2023 and first-quarter 2024 | The Basra Gas Company intends to add 73 Bcf/y for each phase at its BNGL project to process natural gas from the Majnoon, West Qurna-2, and Ratawi oil fields.53 |
| Nassariya Gas Plant54 | South Gas Company and Baker Hughes | 73 | Second-half 2024 | Located in the Dhi Qar province and will process natural gas from the Nassariya and Gharaf oil fields. |
| Gas Growth Integrated Project | TotalEnergies | 110 in Phase 1 and 110 in Phase 2 | 2026 and 2028 | As part of TotalEnergies’ deal in Iraq, the company plans to build a natural gas facility in two phases to gather and treat natural gas from the West Qurna-2, Majnoon, Ratawi, Tuba, and Luhais oil fields.55 |
| Total | 549 | |||
| Nonassociated natural gas projects | ||||
| Khor Mor expansion project | UAE’s Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum | 91 in Phase 1 and 91 in Phase 2 | Second-quarter 2024 and TBA | The KRG’s sole nonassociated natural gas field, Khor Mor, has a capacity of 183 Bcf/y, which supplies power plants in Kurdistan. Dana Gas intends to expand capacity by 91 Bcf/y by mid-2024 and plans a second expansion at a later date.56 |
| Akkas natural gas field | Iraq’s Midland Oil Company | 146 (22 Bcf/y began in March 2023) | 2027 | Located in the remote western province of Anbar, Akkas is designed to supply a nearby power plant. Production of 22 Bcf/y began in March 2023, but Iraq is seeking a partner to further develop the field and began discussions with Saudi Aramco in May 2023.57 |
| Mansuriya natural gas field | TBA | 110 | TBA | Sinopec and Iraq’s interim government agreed on a contract for Mansuriya natural gas field in January 2022, but the parties later disagreed on the contract terms. Sinopec exited the agreement, and Iraq is seeking a firm to replace Sinopec.58 |
| Total | 438 | |||
| Data source: Middle East Economic Survey, Iraq Oil Report, Argus Media, Rystad Energy, Reuters, Shafaq News, Dana Gas Note: TBA=to be announced, Bcf/y=billion cubic feet per year. | ||||
Electricity
Federal Iraq generated an estimated 134 terawatthours (TWh) in 2022, up from 120 TWh in 2021.59 Electricity output in 2022 increased because of the economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic and higher demand from the oil industry because of the upturn in oil production after the OPEC+ production cuts expired.60 The KRG generated at most 17 TWh in 2023.61
Nearly all (about 98%) of Iraq’s electricity generation is from oil and natural gas.62 Natural gas use in the electric power sector increased after 2016 because Iraq began importing natural gas from Iran to increase its own supplies. Hydroelectricity accounts for most of the remaining share of electricity production.63
Since 2021, Iraq has started operating three thermal power plants with a combined capacity of 2.6 GW, and Iraq has plans to add 6 GW of new generation capacity by 2025. Iraq also plans to increase the energy efficiency of existing plants and other electric power sector infrastructure.64
Although solar generation accounted for an insignificant share of total power generation, Iraq plans to develop renewable energy projects to replace some of its oil and natural gas-fired capacity and to reduce natural gas and electricity imports from Iran (Table 4). Iraq plans to install 12 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and signed agreements with several international companies to develop 4.5 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale solar projects in 2021.65
Federal Iraq’s available peak electricity generation supply was nearly 23 GW for 2022. The available supply in 2022 was much lower than the 34 GW needed to meet peak summer demand.66 Iraq’s electricity use is very seasonal and reaches peak capacity in the summer months. Generation plants run at low utilization rates, and the available or effective production capacity is much lower than installed capacity because of poor transmission infrastructure, inefficient or damaged power plants, and insufficient natural gas supply and infrastructure. Peak summer demand typically exceeds actual generation, resulting in frequent power shortages that have caused protests each year since 2020.67
Iraq burns crude oil and fuel oil directly at power plants to make up for its limited feedstock of other power generation fuels. Iraq’s reported average crude oil used at power stations rose from an average of 24,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2021 to 149,000 b/d in 2022 as a result of insufficient natural gas-fired electricity generation.68 Although Iraq’s official reports of crude oil burn were low during recent years, we estimate that they used at least 100,000 b/d of crude oil for power generation since 2015.69 In addition to crude oil, Iraq burns high sulfur fuel oil for power generation. Reported total oil-fired power generation in Iraq rose substantially in 2022 to around 360,000 b/d and reached a record high in June 2023 at 535,000 b/d.70
Energy Trade
Petroleum and other liquids
Iraq’s total seaborne-traded crude oil exports averaged nearly 3.6 million b/d in 2022, which was more than 230,000 b/d above the previous year, based on tanker loadings data.76 The rise in exports reflects Iraq’s higher crude oil production as the OPEC+ cuts gradually reversed through 2022.
During 2022, approximately 89% of Iraq’s seaborne exports were shipped from the southern terminals in the Persian Gulf, which export Basra medium and heavy crude oil grades.77 Before the pipeline closure in March 2023, crude oil from the KRG’s fields and Federal Iraq’s northern fields was sent by pipeline to Ceyhan, Turkey, where it shipped from the port of Ceyhan.
Turkey stopped crude oil flows through the Iraq-to-Turkey crude oil pipeline in March 2023 when an international arbitration court ruled in favor of Federal Iraq against Turkey for accepting crude oil from the KRG.78 Seaborne oil exports from northern Iraq through the Ceyhan terminal, which averaged 417,000 b/d in the first three months of 2023, dropped to zero after the pipeline closure at the end of March 2023.79 As of November 2023, Turkey and Federal Iraq are negotiating an agreement, and the two countries have not resumed crude oil flows through the pipeline.80
Asia (led by India, China, and South Korea) was the main regional destination for Iraq’s crude oil, importing 63% of Iraq’s crude oil exports in 2022. China and India each imported nearly 1 million b/d of crude oil from Iraq (more than half of Iraq’s total exports), making them the top buyers of Iraq’s crude oil during the year. Outside of Asia, Italy, Greece, and Turkey imported the most crude oil from Iraq at around 200,000 b/d each.81 However, some of these and other European imports at various Mediterranean ports travel further inland to countries such as Germany, Austria, and Serbia.82 Collectively, European countries imported 26% of Iraq’s crude oil exports in 2022.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the partial sanctions on Russia’s oil supplies to Europe in 2022 diverted a significant portion of Russia’s oil from Europe to Asia and created additional opportunities for Middle Eastern crude oil suppliers to send more volumes to Europe. Iraq significantly reduced the price of its crude oil loadings to Europe in 2022 to be able to compete with other Middle Eastern crude oil grades.83 Although Iraq’s crude oil exports to China and India remained high in 2022 and the first half of 2023, China and India replaced some of Iraq’s potential crude oil exports with discounted volumes from Russia.84
Infrastructure export capacity at its southern ports in Basra remains constrained and requires investment to rebuild and restore. Iraq’s export capacity has declined over the past few years, which limits the country’s capacity to produce crude oil. Operational export capacity fell from 3.7 million b/d before 2020 to more than 3.3 million b/d in early 2023. Iraq installed new loading hoses at the Basra Oil Terminal, which bolstered southern capacity to more than 3.4 million b/d by September 2023.85 Oil exports in southern Iraq will likely be constrained until 2025, when Iraq can upgrade its infrastructure for the Sealine 3 pipeline.
Iraq also intends to replace the aging and malfunctioning subsea pipelines critical to oil export infrastructure offshore of Basra. Iraq’s cabinet approved Sealine 3, which has a capacity of at least 500,000 b/d and is expected to come online by 2025, barring no more project delays. It will connect to the new, fifth single mooring point to the Basra Oil Terminal and possibly to the Khor Al-Amaya Oil Terminal, which has been out of operations since 2017.86 Iraq also approved $1 billion in 2023 to construct Sealines 4 and 5, which will replace old, inefficient pipelines and further raise southern crude oil export capacity.87
In addition to its seaborne shipments, Iraq also exports relatively small volumes of crude oil by truck to Jordan88 and by inland routes to Turkey via an onshore pipeline from the Ceyhan terminal to Turkey’s Kirikkale refinery, near Ankara. The Ceyhan-Kirikkale pipeline has a capacity of 145,000 b/d.89 Iraq extended its contract by one year with Jordan to sell an average of 10,000 b/d in May 2023.90 However, Iraq’s exports to the Kirikkale refinery have stopped until the Iraq-Turkey pipeline resumes operations.
The Federal Iraq government and the KRG signed an agreement in November 2018 that allows Iraq to transport up to 100,000 b/d of Federal Iraq’s crude oil from its side of the Kirkuk fields through the KRG’s pipeline to Turkey’s Ceyhan port for export.91 Federal Iraq exported more than 80,000 b/d of crude oil from Kirkuk through the KRG pipeline in 2022.92 However, this volume has dropped to zero after the pipeline to Turkey stopped operations in March 2023. Federal Iraq has continued output from its Kirkuk fields and sends the oil to local northern refineries.93
In July 2023, Federal Iraq signed a barter deal with Iran that involves Iraq exporting crude oil and fuel oil to Iran in exchange for natural gas. Although the parties have not revealed the agreement terms, one report suggests that Iraq would send 250,000 b/d to Iran.94 Other sources report that Iraq’s shipments of crude oil and fuel oil will range from 100,000 b/d to 200,000 b/d.95
Because Iraq’s natural gas production and infrastructure growth has not kept pace with its demand, it began importing natural gas from Iran in 2017 to fuel electric power plants near Baghdad and Basra.96 Iran has a contract to supply Iraq with up to around 900 Bcf/y in the summer and up to 580 Bcf/y during the winter.97 However, Iran’s exports are much lower than contracted volumes. Annual natural gas imports averaged 273 Bcf in 2021, down from 364 Bcf in 2020. Although average annual imports from Iran rose again in 2022 to 333 Bcf,98 Iran limited natural gas supplies to Iraq in the summers of 2021 and 2022 because of high domestic demand for natural gas in Iran, a regional drought that caused low hydroelectric power and so higher use of fossil fuels, and the challenge that Iraq faces in making direct payments to Iran.99
In August 2023, Iraq signed a preliminary agreement with Turkmenistan to import natural gas and to diversify its supplies. However, as of December 2023, there are no details of the agreement. If Iraq makes the deal happen, it will need to transport the natural gas through a neighboring country such as Iran or Turkey.100
Electricity
Iraq’s electricity sector imports a significant amount of its supplies from Iran. In 2022, about 25% of Iraq’s electricity was generated by a combination of natural gas produced in Iran and electricity imported from Iran.101 Iran and Iraq signed a five-year agreement in 2022 that lowered the electricity import price for Iraq and set a base volume of 1 GW that Iran must export to Iraq during the summer.102 Iran reduced its electricity exports to Iraq after 2020 from 7.4 TWh to 3.5 TWh in 2022 because of power shortages and insufficient power generation in Iran.103
Iran also reduced electricity exports to Iraq in the summer of 2023 (and completely stopped flows in late May) because of Iraq’s challenges in paying Iran for energy supplies from previous years. The barter deal that Iran and Iraq arranged in July 2023 is intended to resolve these issues, but the countries have not implemented the agreement as of September 2023.104
Iraq is looking for ways to diversify its sources of imported electricity and has interconnection projects with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Jordan (Table 5). Iraq completed a 500 MW power line from Turkey in early 2022, although Iraq has not finalized the contract details.105 Jordan is set to begin exporting electricity to Iraq through a new transmission line with a capacity of 150 MW in the second half of 2023.106
Source: This article was published by EIA
References
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook September 2023.
Oil & Gas Journal, Worldwide Look at Reserves and Production, December 2022.
Energy Intelligence, Crude Profiles and Analytics, Iraq country profile (published April 12, 2023); Fitch Solutions, Iraq Oil and Gas Report, Q3 2023, pages 7-8.
Energy Intelligence, World Crude Oil Database, Iraq (published April 12, 2023).
Lilian Wagdy and Amina IsmailReuters, “Iraqi parliament approves new government headed by Mohammed Shia al-Sudani,“ October 27, 2022.
Ahmed Rasheed and Timour Azhari, Reuters, “Iraq approves record $153 billion budget including big public hiring,“ June 11, 2023.
International Monetary Fund, 2022 Article IV Consultation with Iraq, February 2023, Table 2, page 27.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, OPEC Revenues Factsheet, June 2023.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook September 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s Oil Export Revenues Sink in 1H23,“ July 7, 2022.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
Middle East Economic Survey, “MEES KRG misses out on 2022 windfall because of falling production,“ February 17, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “KRG Finances Remain Precarious Despite Export Revenue Boost“, July 2, 2021; Middle East Economic Survey, “KRG Project Delays Stunt Upstream Growth,“ August 28, 2020; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraqi Kurdistan Closes in on 500,000 b/d Oil Production,“ November 8, 2019; Middle East Economic Survey, “2021: A Year of Challenges and Opportunities for Iraqi Kurdish Oil,“ January 22, 2021.
Middle East Economic Survey, “MEES KRG misses out on 2022 windfall because of falling production,“ February 17, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Genel Halts Development at KRG’s Sarta Amid Poor Results,“ January 20, 2023.
Mohammed Hussein, Lizzie Porter and Rawaz Tahir, Iraq Oil Report, “KRG begins implementing budget law with crude transfers to Baghdad,“ July 25, 2023; International Energy Agency, Oil Monthly Report, September 13, 2023, page 20.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Baghdad Loans Erbil $1.6 bn As US Presses For Ceyhan Export Restart,“ September 22, 2023.
Aveen Karim, Rudaw Media Network, “IOCs warn nonpayment by KRG could lead to London arbitration,“ August 30, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Baghdad Loans Erbil $1.6 bn As US Presses For Ceyhan Export Restart,“ September 22, 2023.
Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook September 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “KRG misses out on 2022 windfall because of falling production,“ February 17, 2023.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, September 2023.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook September 2023; Maha El Dahan and Ahmed Rasheed, Reuters, “OPEC+ announces surprise oil output cuts,“ April 2, 2023; OPEC, Press Room, “33rd OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting“, October 5, 2022.
Alex Lawler and Rowena Edwards, Reuters, “What oil production cuts were agreed at OPEC+ meeting?,“ June 5, 2023; Shafaq News, “Iraq Extends Voluntary Oil Production Cuts until End of 2024, Aligns with OPEC+ Mandate,“ June 4, 2023.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook September 2023.
Rowena Edwards, Reuters, “Iraq targets 7–mln–bpd oil output capacity in 2027 – SOMO head,“ November 16, 2022; Rystad, “How will Iraq deal with its new OPEC+ production cut quota?,“ November 24, 2022, page 3; Kate Dourian, Iraq Oil Report, “May production rises by 100,000 bpd, but KRG oil still mostly offline,“ June 19, 2023.
ArgusMedia, “Iraq signs $27bn energy deal with TotalEnergies“, September 5, 2021; Rystad, “TotalEnergies breaks the mould with $27 billion deal in Iraq“, September 14, 2021.
Kate Dourian, Iraq Oil Report, “Iraq crude oil production up in July as KRG oil trickles back online,“ August 21, 2023.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, September 2023.
Facts Global Energy, Middle East Oil Databook 4, Middle East Refined Product Balances, Fall 2023, page 84, and Spring 2023, page 88.
Joint Oil Data Initiative (accessed September 2023).
U.S. Energy Information Administration based on: Iraq Oil Report, “Iraq refining sector makes incremental gains,“ July 20, 2022; FACTS Global Energy, Middle East Petroleum Databook, Fall 2023, page 66; Oil & Gas Journal, Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Restarts Qayara Exports With Eye On Building Case for Nearby Investment Refinery,“ May 12, 2023, “Iraqi Kurdistan’s Energy Sector Under Attack,“ May 6, 2022, “Honeywell To Upgrade Kurdistan refinery,“ January 21, 2022, “Iraq Breaks Ground On Key Refinery Upgrade Project,“ April 16, 2021, “Iraq Baija Refinery Second CDU Unit Restarts,“ January 15, 2021; Kurdistan Regional Government, “ PM Masrour Barzani inaugurates Lanaz Refinery with 75,000 bpd capacity,“ October 27, 2022; Kurdoil, About (accessed September 2023)
FACTS Global Energy, Middle East Petroleum Databook, Fall 2023, page 58; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Breaks Ground On Key Refinery Upgrade Project,“ April 16, 2021.
FACTS Global Energy, Middle East Petroleum Databook, Fall 2023, page 65; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s Karbala Refinery Hits Full Capacity Despite Unresolved Technical Issues,“ September 29, 2023.
FACTS Global Energy, Middle East Petroleum Databook, Fall 2023, page 65; Ali Al-Aqily, Iraq Oil Report, “Basra refinery expansion delayed by contract dispute,“ July 12, 2023.
Iraq Business News, “Rehabilitation of 150,000-bpd Iraqi Refinery Underway,“ August 17, 2023; Iraq Oil Ministry, News, “With a capacity of 20 thousand barrels per day.. The Prime Minister inaugurates the (Azmara) unit at the Al-Samoud refinery in Baiji,“ August 16, 2023; Iraq Oil Ministry, “In the Al-Samoud complex in Baiji… after the completion of the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Salah al-Din refinery 1 and 2.. The Minister of Oil: directing the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the North Refinery with a capacity of 150 thousand barrels per day,“ August 15, 2023.
FACTS Global Energy, Middle East Petroleum Databook, Fall 2023, page 67; Middle East Economic Survey, “Basra FCC Complex Advances but Other ‘Investment Refineries’ Struggle,“ May 12, 2023.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Oil Boost As Cnooc Hikes Missan Capacity“, November 25, 2022.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s Key Majnoon Field: Output Slumps To 50,000 b/d On Export Bottlenecks“, May 19, 2023.
Iraq Oil Report, “Q&A: Arkan Abdul-Satar Abdul-Jabbar, director of Zubair oil field,“ September 1, 2023.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Eyes Gas Boost With Signing Of Fifth Licensing Round Contracts“, February 24, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “China’s UEG: Iraq’s Faihaa Outperforms, Eyes Egypt Rebound“, September 16, 2022; United Energy Group Limited, Annual Results Announcement for the Year Ended 31 December 2021, pages 21 and 27 (published March 31, 2022).
Iraq Oil Report, “Iraq Crude Production and Export Tracker,“ July 2023, page 9; Rystad, “TotalEnergies breaks the mould with $27 billion deal in Iraq“, September 14, 2021; Middle East Economic Survey, “INOC to Partner TotalEnergies On Iraq Megaprojects“, October 8, 2021.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s WQ-1 Targets 600,000 b/d End-23 Capacity,“ June 30, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s West Qurna-1: 800,000 b/d by 2027“, October 22, 2021; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Unveils Optimistic Production Capacity Targets“, June 3, 2022.
FACTS Global Energy, Middle East Oil Monthly, November 2021, page 17; Al Arabiya News, “Iraq to negotiate with Chevron to develop Nassiriya oilfields“, November 9, 2021; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Targets Chevron For Dhi Qar Boost“, November 12, 2021.
Iraq Business News, “DQOC to Resume Trial Production at Subba Oil Field,“ January 28, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Subba Back To Production,“ January 27, 2023.
Ali Al-Aquily, Middle East Economic Survey, “Lukoil Gets Green-Light To Develop Iraq’s 250,000 b/d Eridu,“ March 10, 2023.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s WQ-2 Reaches Second Phase Capacity“, June 16, 2023.
Oil & Gas Journal, Worldwide Look at Reserves and Production, December 2022.
International Energy Agency, World Energy Outlook Special Report: Iraq Energy Outlook, October 2012, page 70; International Energy Agency, Iraq’s Energy Sector: A Roadmap to a Brighter Future, April 2019, page 34; Rystad Energy, “TotalEnergies breaks the mould with $27 billion deal in Iraq“, September 14, 2021, page 4; Fitch Solutions, Iraq Oil & Gas Report Q4 2023, page 21.
Fitch Solutions, Iraq Oil & Gas Report Q4 2023, page 21.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics (estimated and not yet published).
World Bank, Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFR), Global Gas Flaring Data (accessed July 2023).
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Set for BGC Summer Gas Boost,“ April 28, 2023; Shafaq News, “Iraq eyes ending gas flaring by 2027, as it courts IOCs to capture associated output“, November 23, 2021.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Set for BGC Summer Gas Boost,“ April 28, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s 1.5Bn cfd Gas Processing Pipeline,“ April 28, 2023.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s Akkas & Mansuriya Fields: Back On Offer“, March 31, 2023.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Baghdad To Purchase Gas From Kurdistan’s Khor Mor,“ July 14, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Kurdistan’s Khor Mor Gas Expansion Back On Track,“ May 19, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Kurdistan Gas Expansion Delayed To May 2024 At Best,“ February 10, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraqi Kurdistan Gas Expansion Work Suspended After Attacks“, July 1, 2022; Reuters, “Rockets hit Khor Mor gas field in Iraq, no damage reported“, July 25, 2022; Iraq Oil Report, “Rocket strike causes fire at Khor Mor gas field“, July 26, 2022.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s Halfaya Gas Processing Mechanical Completion,“ October 6, 2023; Iraq Oil Report, “Halfaya gas capture project makes progress“, April 18, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s 1.5bn cfd Gas Processing Pipeline,“ April 28, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Halfaya: 300mn cfd By End-23 ,“ February 3, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Gas Flaring: No Rescue In 2022 ,“ December 24, 2021; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Gas Processing: More Delays?“, February 25, 2022; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Readies Key Missan Fields For Output Rebound“, July 15, 2022.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s Basrah Gas: Slow Startup at New Unit,“ June 30, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Gas Flaring: No Rescue in 2022,“ December 24, 2021; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Gas Capture Award Sparks Fresh Uncertainty On TotalEnergies Megaproject“, July 8, 2022.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Baker Hughes Eyes 2H24 Completion at Iraq’s Nasariya Gas Plant,“ August 11, 2023; Argus Media, “Iraq eyes 2023 start of southern gas capture projects“, December 22, 2022; Argus Media, “Baker Hughes agrees new Iraq gas capture project“, September 19, 2021.
Middle East Economic Survey, “TotalEnergies Becomes Iraq’s Key Foreign Player With Closure Of $27bn Megadeal“, July 14, 2023; Reuters, “Iraq’s massive Total oil deal heralds new revenue-sharing formula”, July 19, 2023; Rystad, “TotalEnergies breaks the mould with $27 billion deal in Iraq“, September 14, 2021; Iraq Oil Report, “TotalEnergies mega-deal with Iraq hits snag over state participation“, March 2, 2022; Reuters, “EXCLUSIVE Iraq’s $27 bln TotalEnergies deal stuck over contract wrangling“, February 14, 2022; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s 2030 ’Sustainable Transition’ Plan: Gas & Renewables To The Fore“, December 3, 2021.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraqi Kurdistan Gas Expansion Work Suspended After Attacks“, July 1, 2022; Reuters, “Rockets hit Khor Mor gas field in Iraq, no damage reported“, July 25, 2022; Iraq Oil Report, “Rocket strike causes fire at Khor Mor gas field“, July 26, 2022. Dana Gas, Media, Press Releases, 2023, Highlights – H1 2023; Iraq Oil Report, “KRG starts work to expand gas pipeline network,“ August 9, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Baghdad to Purchase Gas from Kurdistan’s Khor Mor“, July 14, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Kurdistan’s Khor Mor Gas Expansion Back On Track“, May 19, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Kurdistan’s Gas Expansion Delayed to May 2024 At Best,“ February 10, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Dana Gas Kicks Off Khor Mor Drilling, Eyes Improved Egypt Terms,“ May 13, 2022.
Iraq Oil Report, “Akkas gas field to start production,“ October 21, 2022; Shafaq News, “Iraq Initiates Gas Investment Operations in Akkas Gas Field,“ March 29, 2023; Nishant Ugal, Upstream, “Saudi Aramco in talks to develop major Middle East gas field,“ May 26, 2023; Nayera Abdallah and Enas Alashray, Reuters, “Saudi Aramco to develop 400 million cubic feet per day Iraqi gas field, Iraq oil minister says“, May 25, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s Akkas & Mansuriya Fields: Back On Offer“, March 31, 2023; Shafaq News, “Baghdad holds negotiations with Halliburton to invest in Akkas oil field“, January 25, 2022; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s Akkas Gas Project: Halliburton Closes In On Appraisal Drilling Deal“, April 22, 2022.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Axes Sinopec from Mansuriya Gas Project“, October 6, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Eyes Gas Boost With Signing Of Fifth Licensing Round Contracts“, February 24, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq: Sinopec Back at Mansuriya?,“ April 28, 2023; Iraq Oil Report, “Mansuriya deal collapsing after Sinopec requests contract overhaul,“ February 16, 2023; Reuters, “Sinopec to develop Iraq’s Mansuriya gas field, says ministry“, April 20, 2021; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraqi Awards Mansuriya Gas Field To Sinopec“, April 23, 2021; Iraq Oil Report, “Iraq finalizes Mansuriya contract for next government“, January 21, 2022.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
International Monetary Fund, 2022 Article IV Consultation with Iraq, February 2023, page 12.
Rudaw, “KRG electricity generation still far outstripped by demand,“ September 9, 2023.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s Electricity Sector Enters State of Emergency,“ August 5, 2022; Iraqi News Agency, “Al-Kadhimi: Dhi Qar Combined Cycle Power Plant provides an additional 500 MW of energy in the first phase,“ June 12, 2021
Iraq Oil Report, “Iraq pursues solar power goals, but hurdles remain,“ August 25, 2022; Middle East Economic Survey, “Baghdad Approves Solar Projects“, June 2, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s 2030 ‘Sustainable Transition’ Plan: Gas & Renewables To The Fore“, December 3, 2021
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Resorts to Stopgap Measures As Summer Power Demand Kicks-In,“ June 30, 2023.
Al-Jazeera, “Iraq’s electric grid hit by fire, explosions amid scorching heat,“ July 30, 2023; Al-Jazeera, “Heatwaves scorch Iraq as protracted political crisis grinds on“, August 6, 2022; Associated Press News, “ Protesters block roads in Iraq after third day of power cuts“, August 8, 2022; Reuters, “Iraqis protest over power, water cuts amid heat wave“, July 2, 2021; Al Monitor, “No quick fix for Iraq’s electricity crisis“, August 6, 2020; The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, “Iraq’s Electricity Challenges Mount as Oil Revenue Slows to a Trickle“, May 15, 2020.
Joint Oil Data Initiative (accessed September 2023).
S&P Global Platts conversation (September 2020); FACTS Global Energy, Middle East Petroleum Databook, Spring 2022, page 99.
Joint Oil Data Initiative (accessed September 2023); International Energy Agency, Oil Monthly Report, September 13, 2023, page 16.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Approves Al-Bilal 525 MW Solar“, July 21, 2022.
Zawya, “Total set to launch 1,000 MW power project in Iraq,“ June 6, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “TotalEnergies Becomes Iraq’s Key Foreign Player With Closure Of $27bn Megadeal“, July 14, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Baghdad Approves Solar Projects“, June 2, 2023.
Middle East Economic Survey, “China’s UEG Plans Solar Shift in Iraq Operations,“ November 4, 2022.
Zawya, “Masdar to build 4 solar power plants in Iraq,“ June 28, 2022; Reuters, “Iraq and UAE’s Masdar sign a 1 thousand megawatts solar power contract – INA,“ October 6, 2021.
Arab News, “ACWA Power to develop 1,000 MW solar plant in Iraq,“ April 17, 2023.
Vortexa tanker tracking (accessed August 2023).
Vortexa tanker tracking (accessed August 2023).
Ahmed Rasheed, Reuters, “Iraq, Turkey yet to agree on northern oil exports resumption – sources,“ August 22, 2023.
Vortexa tanker tracking data (accessed August 2023).
Argus Media, “Diplomatic push fails to restart Iraq-Turkey oil flows,“ August 23, 2023; Can Sezer, Reuters, “Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline ready to resume operations soon, Turkish minister says,“ September 15, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Turkey Claims Iraq Owes Nearly $1bn in Net Arbitration Damages“, September 15, 2023.
Vortexa tanker tracking data (accessed August 2023).
Eurostat data (accessed September 2023).
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Shoots for Star Performance in Europe for 2023“, January 13, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Slashes Crude Oil Prices to Europe“, June 17, 2022; Reuters, “Iraq can redirect crude exports to Europe if needed – SOMO source“, August 30, 2022.
Nidhi Verma, Reuters, “Russia replaces Iraq as top oil supplier to India in Nov,“ December 14, 2022; Zawya/Refinitiv, “India in talks with Iraq for oil as Russian discount reduces,“ July 19, 2023; Andrew Hayley, Reuters, “Russia remains China’s top crude supplier in July despite narrower discounts,“ August 20, 2023, Global Trade Tracker (accessed September 2023); Vortexa tanker tracker (accessed September 2023).
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq’s Ageing Basra Infrastructure: Can It Take The Strain?,“ September 1, 2023; Reuters, “Iraq can export more than 3.3 mln bpd from its southern ports, oil minister says“, April 7, 2022; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Crude Oil Exports Push Against Capacity Constraints“, May 6, 2022; Reuters, “Iraq to boost southern oil export capacity from second quarter – source“, January 11, 2022
Zawya, “Iraq approves $1.26bln for Basra oil pipeline project,“ September 27, 2023; Lizzie Porter and Ali Aquily, Iraq Oil Report, “Cabinet suspends approval of major oil export expansion,“ June 28, 2023; Iraqi News, “Basra Oil Company: Third offshore pipeline to complete by 2023“, May 12, 2022; Reuters, “Halliburton says not buying Exxon stake in Iraqi oilfield“, December 1, 2021; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Oil Export Revenues Exit 2021 At 3-Yr High And Rising“, January 7, 2022 and “Iraq Crude Exports Push Against Capacity Constraints“, May 6, 2022; Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, The second split: Basrah Medium and the challenge of Iraqi crude quality, April 2021, page 5.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Baghdad Approves Export Capacity Expansion,“ October 6, 2023.
Argus Media, “Jordan to resume crude imports from Iraq in April“, March 27, 2022.
BOTAS website, Crude Oil (accessed September 2023); Middle East Economic Survey, “Turkey: Record Iraq Crude Imports,“ July 3, 2020.
Reuters, “UPDATE 1-Jordan announces resumption of Iraqi crude oil imports,“ May 22, 2023; The Arab Weekly, “Jordan announces resumption of Iraqi crude oil imports,“ May 23, 2023.
Argus Media, “Iraq restarts Kirkuk crude flows through KRG pipeline,“ November 16, 2018; Reuters, “Iraq restarts some Kirkuk oil exports after year-long halt,“ November 16, 2018.
KirkukNow, “Kirkuk exports 2.5M barrels in January for 180 million dollars“, February 3, 2023.
Iraq Oil Report, “Iraq Crude Production and Export Tracker,“ August 2023, page 7 and June 2023, page 6.
AP News, “Iraqi officials are defending a barter deal with Iran, say it doesn’t violate US sanctions on Tehran,“ July 13, 2023.
FACTS Global Energy, Iran Alert, “Implications of the new Iran-Iraq barter agreement for Iran’s gas and electricity exports to Iraq,“ July 26, 2023; Argus Media, “Iraq to swap HSFO, crude for Iranian gas,“ July 15, 2023; Iraq Oil Report, Iraq Crude Production and Export Tracker, July 2023, page 8.
FACTS Global Energy, Iran Oil and Gas Monthly Report, July 11, 2017, page 3; FACTS Global Energy, Iran Oil and Gas Monthly Report, August 17, 2018, pages 1-2 and Iran Oil and Gas Monthly Report, October 19, 2018, page 13.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Fuel Oil Exports Would Fall Sharply Under Iran Barter Deal,“ August 11, 2023.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
Facts Global Energy, Iran Alert, “Iran is keen to expand gas trade with neighbours“, June 27, 2022; Iran International, “Iran Facing Water, Power Shortages This Summer,“ June 3, 2022; Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy 2023 (reports falling hydropower generation in Iran after 2019).
Refinitiv/Zawya, “Iraq needs pipeline to get gas from Turkmenistan: report,“ August 28, 2023; Iraqi News, “Iraq, Turkmenistan agree on gas deal,“ August 24, 2023; News Central Asia, “Iraq to Import Turkmen Gas Through Iran in Swap Deal,“ August 25, 2023.
FACTS Global Energy Services, Iran Alert, “Implications of the new Iran-Iraq barter agreement for Iran’s gas and electricity exports to Iraq,“ July 26, 2023; Iran International, “Sharp Drop In Iran’s Gas Exports Shuts Down Iraqi Power Plants,“ May 1, 2022.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Baghdad & Tehran Agree New Power Tariff,“ March 18, 2022.
U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics (estimated and not yet published); Middle East Economic Survey, “Iran Power Demand Records More to Come?,“ August 18, 2023; FACTS Global Energy, Iran Alert, “Iran is keen to expand gas trade with neighbours“, June 27, 2022; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iran Halts Power Exports To Iraq As Baghdad Struggles To Curb Attacks On Pylons,“ August 20, 2021; Iran International, “Iran Falling Behind In Power Generation Due To Inadequate Investment,“ April 15, 2022.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Sends Iran $2.76 Billion in Energy Dues,“ June 16, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Oil Burn Rises as Iraq Plans More Oil-fired Power Plants,“ August 25, 2023.
Iraqi News, “Iraq completes 100% of electrical interconnection with Turkey,“ April 25, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Poised For 500MW Turkey Power Imports“, March 11, 2022; Middle East Economic Survey “Iraq Seeks Power Imports,“ May 6, 2022.
Ahmed Tolba and Hatem Maher, Reuters, “Jordan, Iraq power link to start production on July 1,“ May 27, 2023; Jordan News, “Energy minister announces Iraq-Jordan power link completion by August,“ June 18, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Jordan-Iraq Power Supplies Set To Start,“ June 2, 2023.
FACTS Global Energy, Iran Alert, “Implications of the new Iran-Iraq barter agreement for Iran’s gas and electricity exports to Iraq,“ July 26, 2023.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Jordan-Iraq Power Flows Imminent?,“ August 25, 2023; Ahmed Tolba and Hatem Maher, Reuters, “Jordan, Iraq power link to start production on July 1,“ May 27, 2023; Jordan News, “Energy minister announces Iraq-Jordan power link completion by August,“ June 18, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Jordan-Iraq Power Supplies Set To Start,“ June 2, 2023.
Iraqi News, “Iraq completes 100% of electrical interconnection with Turkey,“ April 25, 2023; Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq Poised For 500MW Turkey Power Imports“, March 11, 2022; Middle East Economic Survey “Iraq Seeks Power Imports“, May 6, 2022; Iraq Oil Report, “Iraq seeks to diversify power imports as Iran tightens supply,“ December 8, 2021.
Middle East Economic Survey, “Iraq-GCC Power Link End-2024 Target,“ June 9, 2023; Refinitiv/Zawya, “Iraq, Gulf Cooperation Council sign grid connection pact“, July 18, 2022.
Iran International, “Saudi Arabia, Iraq Sign Deal For Connecting Power Grids,“ July 16, 2022; Refinitiv/Zawya, “Saudi Arabia announces official launch of Iraq powergrid project,“ June 11, 2023.
