Baghdad – WAA
The Ministry of Oil revealed, on Friday, the current production volume of gasoline and the country’s total need, while confirming the existence of a plan to produce 35 million liters of gasoline per day to meet the country’s needs.
The Undersecretary of the Ministry for Refining Affairs, Hamid Al-Zubaie, told the (INA): “The Ministry of Oil has achieved great accomplishments in the refining sector during the past two years,” indicating that “the Karbala and North refineries have entered into operation in addition to the fourth unit in the southern refineries, as well as the isomerization units in the Basra refinery, Dora refinery, and the North refinery.”
He added, “The CCR unit was recently introduced to produce high-octane gasoline in the Northern Refinery with a capacity of 3.5 million liters per day,” noting that “high-octane gasoline is produced in all refineries but in varying degrees, except that this unit produces 98 octane.”
He stressed that “the Karbala refinery produces gasoline with an octane rating of 95 percent,” noting that “super and improved gasoline are present in all refineries and are produced through production units.”
“The ministry’s plans are ongoing to meet the consumption need by bringing these units into operation,” he continued, explaining that “refining capacities of 360,000 barrels per day have been added to all refineries, and we have also reached the point of meeting the consumption need in the matter of gas oil (kerosene) and white oil, and we now have a surplus that is being exported, as we have moved during the current and past two years from importing gas oil to exporting it, in addition to exporting white oil.”
He pointed out, “The need for storage projects to absorb the surplus and develop the warehouses’ capabilities to store these products,” noting that, “Upon completion of the upcoming projects, we will reach the point of meeting the consumer need for gasoline within the coming months.”
He said, “We have reached a total production of gasoline of 30 million liters per day, and the country’s consumption needs now are 30 million liters per day, but production rates from the available energy are declining as a result of periodic and emergency maintenance.”
He said, “Current production rates reach 26 million litres, and we are implementing a plan that aims to reach an available capacity of 35 million litres per day to meet consumer needs.”
He pointed out, “The need to raise the available energy rates more than the consumption rates to ensure stable consumption.”