Baghdad: Economic experts confirmed on Saturday that Iraq possesses substantial natural gas reserves that require greater investment and faster development. They noted that Iraq is not facing a shortage of gas but rather needs to accelerate its investment to convert it into productive energy. They stressed that investing in domestic gas is the fastest and most cost-effective way to boost electricity generation.
According to Iraqi News Agency, economic experts highlighted the recurring electricity crisis in Iraq, questioning how a country with one of the largest natural gas reserves in the region continues to face a chronic shortage of electricity. They explained that the issue is not a scarcity of resources but rather a delay in converting domestically produced gas into fuel to power electricity plants. As energy demand rises during both summer and winter, significant volumes of Iraqi gas are still flared or remain unutilized, while the country relies heavily on gas imports to operate its power system.
Experts pointed out that Iraq currently produces about 3.1 billion standard cubic feet per day of associated gas, yet less than 1.8 billion cubic feet per day is utilized domestically. The remaining volumes are flared due to inadequate gas collection and processing facilities, as well as limited transport and distribution infrastructure. Iraq also imports approximately 50 million cubic meters of gas daily from Iran, equivalent to about 1.8 billion standard cubic feet per day, at an annual cost estimated to be in the billions of dollars. Any reduction or interruption in these supplies leads to a significant loss of megawatts from service, underscoring the electricity system’s reliance on imported gas.
Energy experts advocate that investing in domestic gas presents the fastest and most cost-effective option to enhance electricity generation. Every 100 million standard cubic feet of gas per day can support a power plant with a capacity of around 500 megawatts, depending on plant efficiency and technology. Utilizing part of the wasted gas volumes could add hundreds, or even thousands, of megawatts to the national grid much faster than building new generation projects from scratch.
The Khor Mor gas field serves as a practical example of Iraqi gas’s potential to improve the country’s electricity situation. It produces about 800 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day and supplies power plants impacting several provinces, including Kirkuk, Salah al-Din, and Nineveh, beyond just the Kurdistan Region. This field is a key component of the Runaki project, which has provided continuous electricity to millions, reduced reliance on private diesel generators, and demonstrated the potential of domestic gas investment when appropriate infrastructure is available.
Additionally, agreements to allocate up to 142 million standard cubic feet per day of gas from the Khor Mor and Chemchemal fields to supply cement and steel companies highlight the dual benefits of supporting both the electricity and industrial sectors. This transition from heavy fuel oil and diesel to cleaner natural gas would reduce emissions, lower production costs, enhance national industry competitiveness, and create new job opportunities.
Experts argue that these developments present a real opportunity to reshape Iraq’s energy security by accelerating gas capture projects, developing existing gas fields, and completing processing and pipeline projects to connect fields to power plants and industrial areas. The state’s priority should be to accelerate investment in Iraqi gas, facilitate contracts, simplify investment procedures, and provide a stable environment for strategic projects. By doing so, gas can transform from a flared resource into a key pillar of energy security, industrial support, and economic growth. Iraq’s challenge is not a lack of gas but the need to convert its gas wealth into productive energy that serves citizens, stabilizes electricity, and fosters an economy less reliant on imports, capable of sustainable development.