Baghdad: HE Minister of State for Energy Affairs, President and CEO of QatarEnergy, Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi, and Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, Patrick Pouyanne, convened in Baghdad with HE Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, to announce the commencement of construction on the Common Seawater Supply Project (CSSP) and Phase 2 of the Artawi Oil Field Redevelopment project.

According to Qatar News Agency, these two projects are the final major components of Iraq's Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP), a multi-phase initiative aimed at bolstering the nation's energy infrastructure. The GGIP is being developed by partners QatarEnergy, TotalEnergies, and Basra Oil Company, with respective shares of 25%, 45%, and 30%.

A special ceremony, held under the patronage of Prime Minister Al-Sudani, marked the signing of agreements related to these projects. The event was attended by key figures including HE Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi and HE Iraqi Minister of Oil, Hayyan Abdul Ghani Al-Sawad, along with senior officials and executives from the involved companies.

During the ceremony, QatarEnergy and its partners signed a joint statement with the Iraqi Prime Minister and Minister of Oil to reaffirm their strong partnership and commitment to the successful execution of the GGIP projects. Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi highlighted the importance of this milestone, emphasizing the collaboration's impact on Iraq's energy resilience and sustainability.

The CSSP will process and transport 5 million barrels of seawater per day to southern Iraq's main oil fields, reducing freshwater abstraction and aiding in regional water stress alleviation. This project, operated by the Basra Oil Company, aims to enhance Iraq's long-term water security by freeing up significant quantities of freshwater.

The Artawi Phase 2 Project is set to boost oil production from the Artawi field to 210,000 barrels per day by 2028, making it one of Iraq's lowest-emission oil production sites.

With investments over $13 billion, the GGIP aims to develop Iraq's natural resources and improve electricity supply. It includes mega-projects for gas recovery from flared oil fields, Artawi oil field redevelopment, a solar farm construction, and significant seawater treatment for oil field pressure maintenance.