Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Media: The Associated Press
Byline: n/a
Date: 07 October 2006
BAGHDAD, Iraq_Iraq opened a new oil refinery in the southern city of Najaf
on Saturday, designed to fill the needs of the city and surrounding area.
The refinery, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Baghdad, will
produce 10,000 barrels of oil per day, said Oil Minister Hussain
al-Shahristani at the opening ceremony, calling it a "gift to the holy city
of Najaf."
The country's oil industry, already suffering during Saddam Hussein's regime
from a lack of capital, has fallen even further downhill since the 2003
U.S.-led invasion. Parts of the oil infrastructure such as pipelines have
often been shot at or blown up by insurgents.
Iraq's three main oil refineries _ Dora, Beiji and Shuaiba _ are working at
half capacity, processing a total of only 350,000 barrels a day, compared to
about 700,000 barrels a day before the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003,
according to the oil ministry.
The shortfall has forced Iraq to turn to imports of oil products such as
gasoline and kerosene, including from its neighbor Iran.
Work started on the Najaf refinery last December, and al-Shahristani pledged
another would be opened between Najaf and Karbala, which is 80 kilometers
(50 miles) south of Baghdad, by next year.
Byline: n/a
Date: 07 October 2006
BAGHDAD, Iraq_Iraq opened a new oil refinery in the southern city of Najaf
on Saturday, designed to fill the needs of the city and surrounding area.
The refinery, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Baghdad, will
produce 10,000 barrels of oil per day, said Oil Minister Hussain
al-Shahristani at the opening ceremony, calling it a "gift to the holy city
of Najaf."
The country's oil industry, already suffering during Saddam Hussein's regime
from a lack of capital, has fallen even further downhill since the 2003
U.S.-led invasion. Parts of the oil infrastructure such as pipelines have
often been shot at or blown up by insurgents.
Iraq's three main oil refineries _ Dora, Beiji and Shuaiba _ are working at
half capacity, processing a total of only 350,000 barrels a day, compared to
about 700,000 barrels a day before the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003,
according to the oil ministry.
The shortfall has forced Iraq to turn to imports of oil products such as
gasoline and kerosene, including from its neighbor Iran.
Work started on the Najaf refinery last December, and al-Shahristani pledged
another would be opened between Najaf and Karbala, which is 80 kilometers
(50 miles) south of Baghdad, by next year.