BAGHDAD, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Saturday inaugurated an associated gas processing plant in the Halfaya oil field in Iraq's southern province of Maysan.
According to a statement by the prime minister's media office, the associated gas processing plant has a daily production capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet and will contribute to reducing gas burning for a cleaner environment.
Gas utilization in Iraq has so far reached 61 percent, al-Sudani said during the inauguration ceremony, stressing that the goal is to achieve zero gas flaring by 2028, according to the statement.
Also at the ceremony, Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani said that "the opening of the plant represents an important addition to the (energy) industry by taking advantage of the associated gas through stopping its burning and converting it into useful energy," according to a separate statement by the Iraqi Oil Ministry.
The oil-rich country relies heavily on Iranian gas imports to fuel its power plants nationwide.
With 132 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, Iraq is committed to leveraging its gas wealth to address essential requirements, particularly in electricity generation. ■
