Iraq Aims To Reduce 60% Flaring Rate, Improve NGL Recovery In Gas Sector
Iraq’s Ministry of Oil has developed plans to rehabilitate the gas sector to bring capacity back to pre-war levels and later to cut gas flaring, currently running at around 60% of all gas production, according to Sabah al-Jowhar, Manager of the Gas Department at the Planning Directorate. The aim was also to utilize associated gas from new projects to boost gas-fired electricity generation. Speaking at a conference in Doha, Mr Jowhar said Iraq’s proven gas reserves stood at 3,150 bcm (111 tcf) of which 69% was associated gas, 16% free gas and 15% gas cap. Iraq’s plans were focused on rehabilitating existing gas plants and the construction of new gas utilization projects to minimize flaring, while maximizing liquid recovery to allow LPG exports. The ministry also wants to substitute gas for liquids in power generation as a means of freeing up more crude for export. Mr Jowhar stressed that the ministry’s plans for the gas sector were as reliant as the oil sector on improved security and that no final decisions had been taken on implementation. “There is potential, but no final decisions,” he told delegates.
Mr Jowhar said that rehabilitation would involve returning the main north (535mn cfd) and south (1.05bn cfd) gas handling plants to full capacity. Gas production in Iraq now stands at 1.16bn cfd of which 694mn cfd is flared. In order to restore capacity, the ministry will need to rehabilitate the gas gathering system and compressor stations in the Rumaila field and in the Kirkuk region, and provide a second train for the north gas plant, a refrigeration unit for the North Rumaila NGL plant and two NGL trains at Khor al-Zubair, he said. The NGL work is especially urgent since Iraq is forced to import LPG to cover its 1.8mn tons/year domestic requirement.
In the medium term, Iraq aims to utilize around 65mn cfd of Mishrif sour gas from North Rumaila, 200mn cfd of associated gas from the Zubair field and 150mn cfd of gas from West Qurna. This in turn will allow the construction of fast-track power generation projects totaling 940mw. “Power is the number one priority for the country,” he said, adding that increased power consumption per capita meant that peak summer demand was likely to rise to 17,000mw from the pre-war installed capacity of 5,000mw. Longer-term plans are, however, contingent on progress on increasing crude production, initially to pre-war levels and then to 6mn b/d. Based on that level of production, Iraqaims to produce at least 13mn t/y of LPG allowing exports, given forecast maximum domestic consumption of 4mn t/y in the period to 2015, Mr Johar said.
Iraq Gas Field Development Projects
Full Development | Fast Track Project | ||||||
Estimated | Production | Production | |||||
Reserves | Potential | Production | Capacity | Producing Wells | |||
Fields | (BCM) | (Mn CFD) | Wells | (Mn CFD) | Existing | To Be Drilled | |
Mansuria | 90 – 110 | 300 | 15 | 50 | 4 | 0 | |
Kormor | 50 – 70 | 200 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Jeria Pika | 25 – 45 | 100 | 6 | 50 | 1 | 2 | |
Khashm Ahmer | 40 – 60 | 200 | 16 | 50 | 1 | 3 | |
Chemchemal | 50 – 70 | 200 | 12 (H) | 50 | 1 | 3 (H) | |
Akkas | 120 – 130 | 400 | 14 | 50 | 6 | 0 | |
Siba | 20 – 35 | 125 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Source:Ministry of Oil Planning Directorate.
