UK-Turkish joint venture, Genel Energy, has contracted Germany’s ILF Consulting Engineers to conduct a pre-feasibility study for a new gas project in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq.

The gas development aims to produce as much as 420 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) of sales gas, which will feed domestic consumption as well as exports.

The first phase of the development, known as the Early Gas Project, will include the installation of two gas processing trains, with a production capacity of 60 million cf/d each, along with associated utilities. The trains will be replicated in further phases to produce 420 million cf/d.

The study covers process designs, material selection, the modularisation concept, capital expenditure estimates and the time schedule.

The gas produced at the field is sour, containing 10.63 per cent hydrogen sulphide, which requires treatment in an amine system and sulphur-recovery unit. 

The project is understood to be for the Miran or Bina Bawi fields, which are being developed by Genel Energy. The semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) approved Genel’s declaration of commerciality at the Miran field in September, and an early production facility was commissioned in August.

The company has previously said it plans to spend about $2.5bn on the Miran full-field development, which includes building four gas processing trains in phases. Genel is also preparing a field development plan for Bina Bawi.

Genel is still working with the KRG to finalise a gas development plan and an export agreement with Turkey, which is due before the end of the year. First gas sales are expected at the end of 2015.