Yesterday, the Minister of Oil in Iraq, Hayan Abdul-Ghani, shared updates on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the North Refineries located in the Al-Sumud complex in Baiji. This project aims to achieve a capacity of 150,000 barrels per day and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
Abdul-Ghani stated that the refining sector has a crucial role, which is directly overseen by Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’a al-Sudani. He emphasized the importance of revitalizing and operating the North Refineries as it helps increase national production of different petroleum products such as gasoline, kerosene, liquid gas, and naphtha.
Abdul-Ghani announced that the ministry is committed to bringing the Al-Sumud complex back to its previous production levels to guarantee the provision of petroleum products to citizens, industries, and power generation stations.
Hamid Yunis, the Undersecretary for Liquidation and Distribution Affairs, provided an overview of the extensive effort launched in May to restore and rebuild the North Refineries. This initiative is in accordance with government programs and has been carried out under the Prime Minister’s direct orders.
Yunis observed that the Al-Sumoud complex in Baiji has a refining capacity of 120,000 barrels per day.
Yunis explained that the Ministry’s plan to rebuild the North Refineries heavily depends on the country’s resources and abilities due to the significant damage of over 90%. However, he expressed optimism that the reconstruction would be completed within an accelerated timeframe, by the end of the upcoming year. This is thanks to the Ministry’s previous successful reconstruction projects, such as Saladin 1 and 2 refineries, and the Azmara unit project, which has a capacity of 20,000 barrels per day.
The General Manager of the North Refineries Company, Adnan Muhammad Hammoud, emphasized the staged strategy of the rehabilitation process. He clarified that the first phase of the project involved clearing debris and replacing any damaged components caused by terrorist acts. The project then transitions into its second phase, which includes extensive maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.
