Oil Minister Reveals to Parliament Solution for Gasoline Crisis Through Additional Imports

Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair affirmed Sunday that resolving the gasoline crisis necessitates importing additional fuel shipments. During his parliamentary appearance, the Minister explained that the ministry has increased oil exports to over 4 million barrels per day, a significant rise from under 200,000 barrels daily when he assumed office, a volume impacted by Gulf war conditions. He noted a portion of these exports moves from Kirkuk to Turkey's Ceyhan port. He detailed current petroleum product output at 37 million liters daily, a 4-million-liter increase to meet the rising public demand that sparked the crisis. Importing gasoline faces difficulties due to wartime conditions, creating a gap between production and consumption. He stated the strategic reserve is 350 million liters, stressing the need for at least 5 million additional liters daily to bridge the deficit. The Minister emphasized that the primary solution involves importing further gasoline batches this year. The ministry is actively pursuing this by engaging with relevant international parties to secure supplies, especially amid challenges like the Strait of Hormuz closure. He also underscored the importance of completing maintenance on the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit in Basra and sustaining imports. Additionally, he stated the ministry aims to attract investment companies to overcome hurdles and offer lasting solutions to the crisis.