PM Calls on Chevron to Expand Its Efforts in Iraq to Increase Oil Production and Refining Capacity

INA–Baghdad

Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi called on Chevron on Thursday to expand its operations in Iraq to increase oil production and refining capacity.

The Prime Minister's Media Office said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi held a meeting at the headquarters of the American company Chevron Corporation with the company's president, Mark Nelson, and its board of directors, in the presence of the Minister of Oil, the Minister of Electricity, the head of the Council of Advisors, a number of advisors, and the Iraqi ambassador to Washington."

The Prime Minister called on the company to expand and accelerate its operations in Iraq in order to achieve the strategic goal adopted by the government, which is to increase crude oil production, expand Iraq's refining capacity, and enable the oil sector to diversify its export outlets.

"Al-Zaidi affirmed the government's readiness to provide the necessary land, approvals, and facilities for the establishment of oil refineries and other infrastructure for the chemical industries, increase gas production levels, and transfer advanced technology to Iraq in these fields to expedite the process," according to the statement.

The Prime Minister reiterated the government's commitment to "strengthening the investment environment for international companies operating in Iraq and their contribution to job creation, thereby bolstering the Iraqi economy and enhancing its ability to address challenges."

For his part, Nelson indicated Chevron's desire to invest in Iraq's southern oil fields, pipeline projects to regional ports, and their storage facilities and to intensify efforts to shorten implementation timelines.