Kirkuk's oil boom: Iraqi PM to launch massive refinery project

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is expected to visit Kirkuk on May 5, to lay the foundation stone for a new $2 billion oil refinery project, a government source told Shafaq News.

The project, developed by Iraq-based Rania Energy in coordination with the Kirkuk Province, is designed to process 70,000 barrels per day (bpd) of high-quality petroleum derivatives. It has received formal approval from the federal Ministry of Oil and has been endorsed by the Prime Minister’s office.

“This project is a major step forward for energy infrastructure in Kirkuk and will directly serve local demand,” Jalal Haji Ahmed, director of Rania Group, stated.

According to officials, the refinery will take two to three years to complete and is expected to create approximately 3,000 jobs during its construction and early operation phases.

Ali Hammadi, investment advisor to the Kirkuk administration, confirmed that equipment for the facility will be supplied by UOP, a subsidiary of Honeywell based in the United States. “Final site preparations are underway,” he said.

The project marks the first major downstream investment in Kirkuk since the Ministry of Oil first proposed refining expansion in the province in 2017.

In addition to launching the refinery, al-Sudani is also set to meet with executives from the North Oil Company.