Production capacity at Iraq’s West Qurna-1 (WQ-1) oil field in Basra (see map, MEES, 30 June) has reached “more than” 500,000 b/d according to Mohammed Aziz al-Khafaji, director of the WQ-1 department at Basrah Oil Company (BOC). BOC owns the ExxonMobil-operated field and the US firm continues to await the state firm’s purchase of its remaining 22.7% stake after it sold a 10% to Indonesian partner Pertamina late last year (MEES, 17 February).
Exxon made its intention to quit WQ-1, and Iraq entirely, official in January 2021 (MEES, 23 April 2021). As it stands, WQ-1’s shareholders are ExxonMobil (22.7%), Pertamina (20%), CNPC (32.7%), Itochu (19.6%) and Iraq state-firm OEC (5%). (CONTINUED - 742 WORDS)
