When Iraq published its detailed Integrated National Energy Strategy (INES) in June last year, it anticipated the phasing out of gas flaring in 2015 and surplus gas production from 2016. Neither of these targets is remotely possible.

The development of non-associated gas is being held back by the current crisis in the west and northwest of the country, while associated gas output in the south has been on the rise in tandem with crude oil increments, with barely a dent being made in reducing the amount of gas burned into the atmosphere. (CONTINUED - 2175 WORDS)