Construction work has begun for ArtawiGas25,  a first processing unit to recover associated gas from the Ratawi field in southern Iraq.

The US$250 million facility is owned by TotalEnergies as operator ( 45% ), Basra Oil Company ( 30% ), and QatarEnergy ( 25% ).

It forms part of the Gas Growth Integrated Project ( GGIP ), and will process 50 million cubic feet per day ( mcfd ) of gas that was previously flared. The gas will supply local power plants, covering the demand of approximately 200,000 households in the Basra region.

Signed in September 2021, the GGIP is a US$10 billion multi-energy project designed to enhance the development of Iraq’s natural resources and improve the country’s electricity supply. The project includes a large-scale gas processing plant, which will recover gas being flared on three oil fields and eventually supply 1.5 gigawatts of power generation capacity.

The ArtawiGas25 project will significantly reduce gas flaring at the Ratawi field as early as end 2025. Its modular design could also pave the way for potential replication across other Iraqi oil fields.

"We are very pleased to launch the ArtawiGas25 project – it will give the Iragi people a tangible insight into the benefits of the GGIP, which will provide more energy with less emissions," says Julien Pouget, senior vice president. Middle East & North Africa, exploration and production, at TotalEnergies.

"Through this project, TotalEnergies is demonstrating its capacity to deliver valuable and fast-track solutions in accordance with the government’s expectations and the country’s electricity needs. We look forward to the next GGIP milestones in the coming weeks with the start of construction of the 1GW solar project.”

The four-in-one GGIP project comprises the recovery of gas that is currently flared at three oil fields in southern Iraq to supply electric power plants, the redevelopment of the Ratawi oil field, the construction of a 1GWac ( 1.25GWp ) solar farm, plus a seawater treatment plant.

TotalEnergies will develop a 1GW solar power plant to supply electricity to the Basrah regional grid. In agreement with Iraqi authorities, TotalEnergies has invited Saudi energy company Acwa Power to join the solar project.

Ratawi is an onshore heavy oil field, with peak production expected in 2029.