Iraqi oil ministry sets sights on restoring pre-crisis southern production, exports

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Deputy Oil Minister for Extraction Affairs, Nasser Aziz, said on Sunday that returning southern oil fields to pre-Gulf crisis production levels and increasing crude exports are the ministry's two main priorities. In a statement issued shortly after taking up his new role, Aziz said the ministry is actively overseeing plans to rehabilitate southern fields whose output fell during the crisis. Aziz said he has instructed oil companies to reassess field conditions and accelerate production and pumping operations, with the aim of boosting exports through southern ports and meeting the crude needs of local refineries. The statement set out a target of gradually returning to pre-crisis output of 4.2–4.3 million barrels per day and raising southern export volumes to roughly 3.5 million barrels per day. He added that the ministry is also monitoring production at the North Oil Company and supporting exports through the Ceyhan pipeline, tracking output at Middle Oil Company fields and diversifying export outlets. Aziz said developing exploration areas and oil and gas fields, alongside associated and free gas investments, is also a priority. He previously headed the ministry's Directorate of Research, Planning and Follow-up and represented Iraq in the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC).