Iraq’s oil minister Hayan Abdulghani told MEES last week that his country aims “to stop gasoline imports by the end of this year,” and that the ministry’s South Refineries Company (SRC) was “preparing to start commissioning its Fluid Catalytic Cracker (FCC) complex” at the 280,000 b/d Basrah refinery. Visting the construction site over Eid holidays on 9 June to witness the catalyst charging process, the minister said that Euro-V compliant gasoil production will begin first by mid-August followed by “more than 92 Ron” gasoline in mid-September. SRC says output will pick up afterwards although it aims “to shorten commissioning time.” The minister says the FCC unit will produce 4,200-4,500m³/d (26,400-28,300 b/d) of gasoline which will reduce current imports of 4,000-5,000m³/d (25,000-31,000 b/d) to “minimal levels at around 2,000-3,000 m³/d (12,600-18,900 b/d).” Latest data from state marketer Somo show gasoline imports at their lowest Q1 figure since 2009 at 32,000 b/d, and Kpler puts them at 37,000 b/d year to date for 2025. Mr Abdulghani adds that upgrades at the 56,000 b/d Kirkuk refinery will contribute 1,600m³/d (10,000 b/d) towards ending imports. The minister was keen to highlight to MEES that Iraq’s current refining capacity stands at 1.156mn b/d, following the addition of 380,000 b/d in CDU capacity over 2023-24 (MEES, 4 April). This “reduced the annual import bill from $5bn at the beginning of this government” in 2022; a year in which oil prices spiked. That figure is inclusive of gasoil imports which Iraq has returned to this year amid a power crisis (MEES, 6 June). The minister says the total bill now stands at $1bn.