ARTICLE AD BOX
Iraq is freed from Iran’s shackles. Al-Sudani in Basra to follow up the Gulf gas import project
Baghdad Today – Basra
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani will arrive tomorrow, Sunday (March 16, 2025), in Basra Governorate to follow up on the work of the gas pipeline project from the floating platform, in a decisive step to secure the country’s energy needs after the expiration of the US exemption period for Iranian gas imports.
The MP of Basra Governorate and a member of the Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Committee, Ali Al-Mashkour, revealed in a statement to “Baghdad Al-Youm”, on Saturday (March 15, 2025), that “the Ministry of Oil began work on the project 30 days ago, and is progressing at an accelerated pace to complete it within 120 days, as the completion rate so far has reached more than 33%.”
He added that “Iraq is moving to contract with Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman to import 200 dry gas,” pointing out that “the Ministry of Oil has begun to establish a tanker line extending from the berths of Khor Al-Zubair to the system of the Basra Shat, with a length of 40 km and a diameter of 42 inches, according to international standards.”
He stressed that “the project is implemented by Iraqi hands pure of the national efforts in the Oil Projects Company, which enhances Iraq’s ability to implement strategic projects itself.”
He stressed that “the directives of the Minister of Oil, Hayyan Abdel Ghani, call for speeding up implementation, to ensure the readiness of the line before entering the summer, which is witnessing a sharp rise in demand for electricity.”
Iraq has always relied heavily on Iranian gas to operate power plants, importing about 40% of its power generation needs.
However, this reliance has made Iraq vulnerable to political pressures and fluctuations caused by US sanctions on Iran, which require periodic exceptions from Washington to allow the continued flow of gas.
On March 8, the US exemption period expired, which means that Iraq is no longer officially able to import gas from Iran without facing legal and economic consequences.
With the summer, which is witnessing peak demand for electricity, urgent action was needed to find alternatives that ensure stable energy supply.
This project, according to experts, comes within the vision of the Iraqi government to enhance energy security and reduce waste in the oil and gas sector, as well as create local job opportunities through the implementation of projects with Iraqi hands, which enhances the country’s independence in the energy sector.
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