Peregraf - The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity announced on Friday that a floating gas import platform will enter service before June 2026, with a capacity of 500 million cubic feet per day, as part of government efforts to stabilize electricity production and reduce reliance on external gas supplies.
Ahmed Moussa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Electricity, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the contract with the American company Excelerate Energy was finalized following a series of meetings to agree on executive and technical mechanisms. He explained that the latest meeting included the Iraqi Ports Authority, chaired by its Director General, and focused on selecting the most suitable pier to host the floating platform.
Moussa stated that the technical arrangements for establishing the platform have been completed and that Excelerate Energy has already begun implementation. He noted that the government has set a strict timeline to complete the project before June 1, 2026, with the platform expected to supply around 500 million cubic feet of gas daily.
He added that the pipelines connected to the floating platform have already been linked to all electricity production stations. “The Ministry is now awaiting the arrival, installation, and final connection of the platform to the gas network, so it will be fully operational before June 1,” Moussa said, stressing that the platform will operate at full capacity of 500 million cubic feet per day.
On gas imports from neighboring countries, Moussa explained that the government has discussed diversifying gas sources and the possibility of importing from additional countries. He noted that this would require the construction of gas platforms, whether fixed or mobile, and confirmed that work on this file is ongoing, including the selection of appropriate piers.
At the same time, Moussa pointed out that the Iraqi Ministry of Oil is moving in parallel on national gas investment projects. He said the fifth gas licensing round has been signed, with major gas fields awarded to international companies that have already begun development work.
Moussa confirmed that the government has set a deadline for the full investment of national gas by the end of 2027 and the beginning of 2028, emphasizing that once Iraq fully utilizes its domestic gas resources, it will no longer need to import gas from abroad.