Iraq’s deputy oil minister for refining affairs Hamid Younes said on 25 April that two isomerization units, converting light naphtha to isomerate for gasoline blending, have been commissioned at the 240,000 b/d Doura and 280,000 b/d Basrah refineries. The latter’s 11,000 b/d-capacity unit will produce 1.3mn liters/day (8,100 b/d) of 89RON gasoline, and had been delayed by financial disagreements with Czech firm TechnoExport (MEES, 15 September 2023). Mr Younes says licensor UOP Honeywell helped complete the unit.
Doura’s unit appears to be one of two isomerization units that were added in 2021 (MEES, 16 July 2021) but delayed by technical difficulties. The unit will produce 750,000 l/d (4,700 b/d) of gasoline. Recent refining capacity additions have allowed Iraq to end mid-distillate imports this year, and planned isomerization and catalytic reforming (CCR) units are key for utilizing surplus naphtha and ending expensive gasoline imports. Mr Younes told MEES in February that Iraq aims to achieve this by end-2024 (MEES, 16 February). Data intelligence firm Kpler puts year-to-date gasoline imports at 55,000 b/d, some 11,000 b/d above Mr Younes’ average target for the year. (CONTINUED - 179 WORDS)