NAJAF, Iraq, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Iraq inaugurated an additional unit at its crude refinery in Najaf that should produce oil at a rate of 30,000 barrels per day, officials say.
Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani attended a ceremony to mark the unveiling of the new unit during the weekend. He said the production rate at the new facility would provide local residents with enough energy to meet their demand for the coming winter.
A warehouse at the facility will house 18 storage tanks for different hydrocarbons. Additional facilities will hold more than 52 million gallons of oil derivatives, Iraqi satellite channel al-Sumaria reports.
Assem Jihad, a spokesman for the Iraqi oil minister, said the new unit at the 10,000 bpd refinery would produce gas oil, kerosene and benzene.
Work on the Najaf refinery began in October 2003.
Iraq held auctions for 20-year service contracts for eight oil fields in the country in June but was only able to reach a deal for the Rumaila field in southern Iraq.
Overall oil exports from Iraq are below the post-war high reached in May 2008 of around 2 million bpd.
