Baghdad produces 9K tons of gas daily
Shafaq News– Baghdad (Updated at 17:09)
Iraq’s gas output exceeds domestic demand despite recent cooking gas shortages reported in Baghdad and several provinces, Deputy Oil Minister for Gas Affairs Ezzat Saber Ismail stated on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Oil Products Distribution Company, Ismail clarified that daily production tops 9,000 tons, compared with average consumption of about 7,000 tons. He attributed recent disruptions to transport problems caused by a technical fault on the Basra–Baghdad pipeline rather than a supply shortfall.
Meanwhile, Oil Ministry spokesperson Sahib Bazoon, who spoke to Shafaq News, described the situation in parts of Baghdad as an “artificially induced crisis,” stressing that Iraq meets local demand and exports surplus gas, estimated at about 20,000 tons. Demand, he noted, surged during prolonged power outages as households and businesses turned to cooking gas for heating amid cold weather, while daily production of liquefied gas cylinders increased from 120,000 to 160,000 units.
Accusing some transport operators of hoarding supplies to resell at higher prices, Bazoon denied any plan to raise official prices, confirming that additional quantities are being released into Baghdad’s market to ease pressure.
In recent days, residents in parts of Baghdad and other provinces reported difficulty obtaining cooking gas, alongside price increases that pushed cylinder costs from 8,000 to 10,000 Iraqi dinars ($5.47–$6.83).
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