BAGHDAD- Iraq plans to invite international energy companies and investors to compete to build an oil refinery in its southern port of Fao, the oil ministry said on Wednesday.

The refinery in Fao will have a 300,000 barrel-per-day capacity and include a petrochemical plant, a statement said citing Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar.

(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by Edmund Blair) ((ahmed.rasheed@thomsonreuters.com; +964-7901-947-131; Reuters Messaging: ahmed.rasheed.thomsonreuters.com@thomsonreuters.net))