Iraq to restart Baiji refinery unit by year-end

05 February 2018
The refinery was almost destroyed between 2014 and 2015 during intense battle among Iraqi forces and radical militants

Iraq’s Oil Ministry has announced it has begun rebuilding a unit in the country’s largest refinery Baiji, and has set a deadline of nine months to complete restoration work.

The Salahuddeen 2 unit of the northern Baiji refinery is capable of producing up to 70,000 barrels a day (b/d) of refined products when up and running, according to Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luiebi.

The Baiji refinery was nearly destroyed at the height of the bloody battle between the Iraqi military and radical militants between 2014 and 2015, ending with Iraqi forces wrestling back control of the key downstream asset which meets national demand for refined products, as well as feed the power grid.

Al-Luiebi has reportedly asked Iraq’s other state-owned oil companies to assist the North Oil Company, Baiji refinery’s operator, including supporting it with equipment, pipelines and other resources, to help finish repair and restoration works by year-end.

The minister has said that Salahuddeen 1, also with a capacity of 70,000 b/d, will resume operations once financing for the unit is secured by the Oil Ministry.

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