# Floating oil island will handle Iraq's expected spurt in exports



## Disir (Jul 7, 2018)

The South Oil Co. (SOC), based in Basra, Iraq, will establish a floating oil island off the coast of al-Faw Peninsula to increase its export capacity by as many as 2 million barrels a day.

The company announced the project June 14 in anticipation of a surge in Iraqi oil exports to reach 5-6 million barrels per day. Indeed, OPEC on June 23 approved an increase in crude oil output to meet growing demand.

Hamzah al-Jawahiri, an Iraqi Oil Ministry consultant, explained that Basra province has five floating terminals overlooking the Arab Gulf for commercial work and two fixed offshore terminals at Khor al-Amiyah and al-Basra dedicated to loading about 80% of Iraq's oil exports.

He told Al-Monitor, “All of these terminals require technical and administrative staff working around the clock. The ministry noted the need for more flexibility, as work will double in the future with the increase in oil and oil derivatives output. This requires additional technical, logistical and human support that can be provided by the oil island project near the seven Iraqi terminals. The project will facilitate shift work and the delivery of services with no interruption caused by [outside] emergency disruptions, human errors or terminal platforms oil spills.”



Read more: Floating oil island will handle Iraq's expected spurt in exports

Hopefully, those jobs will go to Iraqis.


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