BAGHDAD - During a visit to the South Refineries Company Nov. 4, Iraq's new Oil Minister Hayan Abdel Ghani announced that his ministry's policy is to focus on increasing the refining capacity of the company to 350,000 barrels per day.

“The southern refineries are today one of the largest Iraqi refineries in terms of production and the large volume of work they do in meeting the needs of citizens and consumers of oil products," Abdel Ghani said. "Despite the challenges and economic and health crises that the country has faced in the past period, the workers in the south refineries were at the level of responsibility through their distinguished efforts to continue working and producing.”

Abdel Ghani emphasized that his ministry will continue supporting all southern refineries to meet the goals set for these refineries in order to reach the point that Iraq does no longer need to import oil.

Iraq’s refining sector is suffering from major problems as a result of its dilapidated condition and the lack of large investments. This resulted in the country — which is the second-largest oil producer of the OPEC+, producing 4.6 million barrels per day — to import most of its fuel needs.