Iraq's Electricity Minister Aims to Prevent Power Outages as Khor Mor Gas Field Resumes Production

Iraq's Electricity Minister Ziad Ali Fadel has announced efforts to prevent power outages in the country, as fuel supplies from the Khor Mor Gas, return, normal, levels, following, attack field in the Kurdistan Region have resumed arriving at power stations, restoring operating hours to normal. The resumption of production at Khor Mor comes after the UAE's Dana Gas reported the field had been targeted by a drone attack in January, temporarily halting operations.

Why this matters: The resumption of production at Khor Mor gas field has significant implications for Iraq's energy security and economic stability. Ensuring a stable electricity supply is crucial for the country's development and can have a direct impact on the daily lives of its citizens.

Dana Gas has stated that the production capacity of the Khor Mor facility now exceeds 500 million standard cubic feet of gas, 1,100 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas, and 15,000 barrels of condensate. The company attributed the resumption of normal production levels to enhanced security measures and strengthened defenses implemented by the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) following the attack.

Kurdistan's Prime Minister Masrour Barzani emphasized the impact of such attacks, stating, "Targeting the economic infrastructure of the Region harms all Iraqi citizens." He stressed the need to halt these attacks and prevent their recurrence. Barzani met with Federal Minister of Electricity Ziyad Ali Fahdel to discuss ongoing projects and reforms in the electricity sector, highlighting the importance of continued coordination between the KRG and Baghdad to improve and develop the power system overall.

The Khor Mor gas field, located in the Chamchamal district of al-Sulaymaniya within the Kurdistan Region, has been a crucial source of gas for power stations in Chamchamal, Bazian, and Erbil since production began in 2008. The field is operated by the Pearl Consortium, led by Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum, with partners including OMV of Austria, MOL of Hungary, and RWE. By 2018, production had surged by 50%, reaching 452 million standard cubic feet per day, and further increasing to 305 million standard cfd by the end of 2021.

The Iraqi Minister of Electricity praised the coordination and good relations between the federal and Regional ministries, contributing to providing the best services to citizens, which is a common goal for both sides. With the resumption of production at Khor Mor field and the restoration of fuel supplies to power stations, Iraq aims to prevent power outages and ensure a stable electricity supply for its citizens.

Key Takeaways

• Iraq's Khor Mor gas field resumes production after drone attack.
• Field's production capacity: 500 million scf gas, 1,100 mt LPG, 15,000 bbl condensate.
• Resumption of production ensures stable electricity supply for Iraq.
• Enhanced security measures implemented to prevent future attacks.
• Coordination between Baghdad and KRG crucial for electricity sector development.