Iraq's Nineveh Seeks Investment for New Oil Refineries

Nineveh Province in northern Iraq is seeking investment proposals for new oil refineries and production projects, as part of its efforts to develop its oil sector. According to Ahmed al-Abd Rabbo, chief of the Provincial Council's Energy Committee, this initiative could eventually pave the way for an integrated oil company.

The provincial council has asked Baghdad to exempt Nineveh from the normal conditions required to establish an oil company, a request that is still pending. However, one council member expressed skepticism about whether this exemption will be granted, citing the legal requirement that a province must produce at least 100,000 barrels per day to establish such a company.

Nineveh's current production stands at around 38,000 barrels per day, with nearly 55% of its oil coming from fields in Qayyarah and Najma, south of Mosul. The province has recently restored production from several fields damaged during ISIS's occupation between 2014 and 2017.