Iraq’s
crude-oil production has risen to 3.2 million barrels a day and will increase
as planned to 3.4 million barrels a day by year’s end Deputy Prime Minister for
Energy Affairs Hussain al-Shahristani
said.
The
country’s output has now surpassed that of Iran and Kuwait, al-Shahristani told reporters on 12 August in Baghdad. The
figure would be the highest level in more than 20 years.
Crude
oil pumped from fields in the northern Kurdish region “remains less than
required, at a total of 116,000 barrels since Aug. 8,” when pumping from the
area resumed, he said. The semi-autonomous area halted pumping for export April
1 following a dispute with the central government over payments to foreign
companies. The requirement for the region is 175,000 barrels a day, al-Shahristani said.