Baghdad: The Ministry of Oil confirmed on Friday that refinery development projects will increase the production of petroleum products and reduce imports. Ministry of Oil spokesman Salim al-Rikabi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The ministry is working on several projects, including expanding the Diwaniyah refinery by adding a 70,000-barrel-per-day refining unit, along with a gasoline hydrotreating and upgrading unit, and expanding the Maysan refinery by adding a 70,000-barrel-per-day refining unit. There are also plans to develop the Dhi Qar, Haditha, and Najaf refineries, in addition to ongoing investment projects at refineries in Faw, Nasiriyah, and Maysan."

According to Iraqi News Agency, al-Rikabi elaborated on the significant impact these projects will have on the production of petroleum products. He said, "The refinery development plan will result in an increase in petroleum products, in addition to projects for cracking heavy fuel oil and projects for hydrotreating and upgrading gasoline, which will increase the quantities of gasoline and gas oil."

Al-Rikabi pointed out that "the projects to establish and rehabilitate refineries come within the above refinery development plan," stressing that "reducing dependence on imports is achieved through the plan to increase oil derivatives that we mentioned."