Iraq starts 40km gas pipeline in Basra to fuel power plants

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Oil Ministry announced on Friday the launch of a gas pipeline project in Basra aimed at supplying fuel to power plants as the country seeks to diversify its energy sources.

Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani oversaw the project during a visit to the Khor Al-Zubair port, where work is underway on a dry gas pipeline crucial for power generation, the ministry said in a statement.

The pipeline, developed by the state-run Oil Projects Company (SCOP), extends 40 km from Khor Al-Zubair to the Shatt al-Arab regulator, with a diameter of 42 inches. The ministry stressed that the project remains on schedule and adheres to engineering and technical standards.

The initiative follows the expiration of a US sanctions waiver on March 8, which had allowed Iraq to import Iranian gas for power generation. With the waiver no longer in effect, Baghdad is accelerating efforts to secure alternative energy sources.

Ali Shaddad, a spokesman for the parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee, told Shafaq News Agency that Iraq’s dependence on gas-fired power plants, particularly outside Basra, has made the country’s energy sector vulnerable. Unlike other regions, Basra’s power stations can operate on multiple fuels, including crude oil, ensuring greater grid stability.

Shaddad noted that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani is personally overseeing the gas pipeline project, which began about a month ago and is expected to be completed within 120 days. He added that construction has already surpassed 30% completion, with the pipeline set to transport up to 200 million standard cubic feet per day (Mcf/d) of Gulf gas.