Madhi Swadi, the head of the joint management commission that runs Iraq’s West Qurna oilfield has said that production from the field’s Stage 1 should more than triple to 750,000 barrels a day in three years time, The Associated Press has reported. West Qurna Stage 1 currently produces 234,000 barrels per day, Swadi said. The 8.6 billion barrel field is being developed by a consortium grouping Exxon Mobil and Shell. The consortium has spent $306m this year on developing the giant oilfield, while next year’s budget is expected to be about $1.1bn, he said.