Iraq Seeks 6 Million BPD Oil Production Baseline from OPEC+

Iraq's government is seeking to increase its oil production baseline from 4.431 million barrels per day (bpd) to 6 million bpd, citing economic necessity to rebuild critical national infrastructure and service post-war deficits.

The request, which represents an increase of nearly 1.57 million bpd above Baghdad's current quota, was formally submitted to OPEC+ as part of the alliance's September review.

The government argues that more than four decades of international sanctions, conflicts, and operational bottlenecks warrant an equitable baseline that reflects the country's actual reserve base and fiscal dependency on oil revenues.

The proposed increase faces technical and logistical hurdles, with the International Energy Agency estimating Iraq's sustainable operational capacity at roughly 4.9 million bpd, creating a 1.1-million-bpd discrepancy against Baghdad's requested target.