Iraq Orders Five Major Oilfields to Restore Pre-War Output, Targeting Over 3 Million Barrels Per Day
N.R. Finch
After the US-Iran deal reopened the Strait of Hormuz, Iraq ordered five major oilfields back to full capacity — targeting over 3 million bpd — but the real bottleneck is whether enough tankers can get through.
Who issued the order?
Iraq's Basra Oil Co. sent directives on June 19 to operators at Rumaila, West Qurna-1, West Qurna-2, Zubair, and Artawi, demanding a return to maximum available capacity.
The target: daily output exceeding 3 million barrels. Bloomberg obtained the documents.
This means → OPEC's second-largest producer is attempting to switch all its southern core capacity back on at once.
Where does output stand right now?
A senior manager disclosed that southern production has recently climbed back to 1.5 million bpd.
In plain terms = that is only half the target — a long way from 1.5 million to 3 million barrels.
Oil Ministry spokesman Salim Al-Rikabi said the ramp-up will be gradual, depending on field conditions and whether buyers can arrange tankers to load.
Why is the strait the key bottleneck?
Iraq relies on the Strait of Hormuz for the vast majority of its crude exports. Onshore pipelines offer limited capacity and provided only a partial alternative during the war's peak.
SOMO head Ali Nizar told Iraq 24 TV that two vessels are currently loading at southern terminals, but sustaining rising output requires more tankers entering the strait.
This means → the order is issued and the wells can produce, but the export end hinges on shipping access — not enough ships, and the oil stays put.
Beyond exports, what else is a priority?
Al-Rikabi said operators have begun ramping up, with an immediate focus on restoring associated gas — natural gas produced alongside crude — output first.
This reflects a dual pressure: Iraq needs the oil revenue, but domestic power generation and household gas supply also depend on these fields' gas output.
Put simply = the fields don't just produce oil; they produce gas too. Cut the gas, and electricity and cooking fuel go down with it.
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