The Ministry of Oil has pledged to address the gasoline crisis affecting Baghdad and other governorates, announcing the imminent gradual commissioning of the catalytic cracking unit at the Karbala refinery. This unit is expected to significantly boost local fuel supplies. In
this regard, the official spokesperson for the Ministry, Salim Al-Rakabi, stated that the engineering and technical aspects of the unit have been fully completed. Technical teams and engineers at the site have commenced implementing programmed gradual operational phases, following a
precise timeline designed to ensure equipment safety and a secure, orderly transition towards full production. This commissioning plan typically spans approximately three months, during which calculated and specified quantities of petroleum products will be gradually and progressively pumped, paving the
way for sequential operation of all other sections until the unit achieves full readiness and final operation. Al-Rakabi further indicated that the total production capacity of this unit will reach approximately (55) thousand barrels per day. This substantial operational capacity is
considered a pivotal element in enhancing the local supply of fuel. Technical and economic forecasts suggest that the unit, upon reaching its maximum capacities, will provide about (5) million liters per day of high-octane gasoline, a type highly sought after
in local markets, in addition to producing nearly (7) million liters per day of hydrogenated low-sulfur gas oil, which complies with international environmental standards. Moreover, Al-Rakabi revealed parallel efforts by the Ministry to strengthen supplies. These endeavors include adding approximately (3)
million liters per day of non-hydrogenated gas oil, extracted directly from the Shuaiba refinery. Consequently, the total available quantities of this vital material will increase to about (10) million liters per day. The efforts also encompass securing a strategic production
estimated at (400) tons per day of cooking gas, aimed at meeting the increasing demands for household and industrial consumption. The official spokesperson emphasized that the activation of these new production capacities will lead to a gradual reduction in refined gasoline
imports, bringing the country closer to achieving the desired self-sufficiency in all essential petroleum products. Within the framework of its strategy to expand and strengthen the national refining base, Al-Rakabi clarified that the Ministry of Oil's efforts are not limited solely
to the Karbala refinery. Instead, it has adopted a comprehensive set of long-term strategic plans and projects to develop and rehabilitate other oil refineries across various governorates. Among the most prominent of these projects is the plan to develop the
Diwaniya refinery, which involves establishing and adding a new refining unit with a capacity of (70) thousand barrels per day, equipped with modern hydrogenation units to improve gasoline quality. The Ministry has also launched programs for the development of the
Maysan refinery, which similarly include the addition of a new refining unit with a capacity of (70) thousand barrels per day. These comprehensive initiatives also involve updating and enhancing the efficiency of existing national refineries, with the aim of maximizing
refining capacities, improving the levels and quality of petroleum products offered in the markets, and boosting the Ministry's operational ability to efficiently meet the growing local market demands, thereby ensuring the stability of the energy sector in the country.
