For the first time іn Iraq: utilization оf flared gas іn East Baghdad field
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the Iraqi Ministry ?f Oil announced the utilization ?f flared gas ?n the Taji Power Plant east ?f Baghdad, marking the first instance ?n Iraq's history.
A ministry statement indicated that "the Oil Pipelines Company has completed the first phase ?f rehabilitating the 12-kilometer dry gas pipeline ?n Baghdad's Taji Power Plant."
The statement quoted the Director-General ?f the Oil Pipelines Company, Ali Abdul Karim Al-Mousawi, as saying, "The technical and engineering teams ?n the company have succeeded ?n carrying out maintenance and rehabilitation works ?n the pipeline over a distance ?f 13 kilometers, contributing t? the implementation and success ?f the government's plans and the Ministry ?f Oil ?n utilizing flared gas ?n the East Baghdad field through financing using Carbon Credit balances (Flared Gas Investment). This ?s an experiment adopted for the first time ?n Iraq, ?n accordance with international specifications, agreements, and frameworks."
He also mentioned, "The planned discharge ?f dry gas from the East Baghdad field ?n the coming period, ?n addition t? enhancing electricity production by delivering gas t? the Taji Power Plant."
Al-Mousawi added, "Maintenance and rehabilitation works, including the rehabilitation ?f the pipeline and maintenance ?f associated parts, were carried out with exceptional efforts that were not exceeded."
Iraq boasts significant natural gas reserves, estimated at around 3.7 trillion cubic meters according t? the Washington Institute, and ?s primarily found alongside its vast oil fields.
However, a considerable portion ?f this gas, known as associated gas, has historically been wasted through flaring due t? the lack ?f infrastructure for its capture and utilization.
Flaring, the burning ?f associated gas has been a long-standing practice ?n Iraq's oil fields. This process contributes t? environmental pollution and represents a substantial economic loss for the country. Iraq has been among the world's largest gas flarers, with significant amounts ?f valuable gas wasted yearly.
Data from the Energy Research Unit revealed that Iraq ranked third among the worst countries in the world in terms of natural gas flaring.
The unit stated in its report, "global gas flaring decreased to 5.9 billion cubic meters during the past year 2022, compared to the previous year, with an annual decline of 4%."
The report revealed that "Iraq flared approximately 17.8 billion cubic meters in 2022, compared to 17.7 billion cubic meters in 2021, indicating a 0.3% annual growth."
Efforts t? address this issue have been underway ?n recent years, focusing ?n reducing flaring and harnessing Iraq's gas resources more effectively. These initiatives include investments ?n gas processing infrastructure, constructing ?f pipelines, and developing ?f power stations fueled by natural gas.
In light ?f these developments, the recent announcement by the Ministry ?f Oil regarding the utilization ?f flared gas ?n the East Baghdad Field marks a significant milestone for Iraq's gas sector. This move not only represents a step towards reducing flaring but also demonstrates the country's commitment t? optimizing the utilization ?f its abundant natural resources for domestic development and regional energy integration.
