Baghdad, September 14 (QNA) - 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, met today in Baghdad with HE Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, to announce the start of construction of the Common Seawater Supply Project (CSSP) and Phase 2 of the Artawi Oil Field Redevelopment project (Artawi Phase 2 Project).

The two projects represent the final major components of Iraq’s Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP), a multi-phase initiative aimed at enhancing the country’s energy infrastructure, currently being developed by the GGIP partners: QatarEnergy (25%), TotalEnergies (45%, operator), and Basra Oil Company (30%).

The signing took place during a special ceremony held under the patronage of HE Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and attended by HE Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi, HE Iraqi Minister of Oil, Hayyan Abdul Ghani Al-Sawad, and senior Iraqi officials and executives from the three project partners.

At the same ceremony, QatarEnergy and its partners, TotalEnergies and Basra Oil Company, signed a joint statement with Iraqi Prime Minister and the Iraqi Minister of Oil regarding the GGIP, to reaffirm the strong partnership between the parties and their joint commitment to the successful execution of the various projects comprising the GGIP.

Commenting on this occasion, HE Minister of State for Energy Affairs President and CEO of QatarEnergy, Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi, said: “This milestone marks a pivotal step in our shared journey with Iraq toward energy resilience and sustainability. The launch of the CSSP and the Artawi Phase 2 Project reflects our deep commitment to Iraq’s energy sector and economic growth.”

His Excellency added: “We are proud to collaborate with TotalEnergies and Basra Oil Company on this transformative initiative, and we extend our sincere appreciation to the Iraqi leadership and authorities for their continued support and partnership in making this vision a reality.”

The CSSP will process and transport 5 million barrels of seawater per day to the main oil fields in southern Iraq. It will significantly reduce freshwater abstraction from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, helping alleviate regional water stress and support agricultural sustainability. By freeing up 250,000 cubic meters of freshwater daily, the project contributes to Iraq’s long-term water security. The plant will be operated by the Basra Oil Company.

The Artawi Phase 2 Project will increase oil production from the Artawi field to 210,000 bpd starting in 2028. Upon completion, the project will position Artawi as one of Iraq’s lowest-emission oil production sites.

With total investments exceeding $13 billion, the GGIP is designed to enhance the development of Iraq’s natural resources to improve the country’s electricity supply. It comprises a number of mega-projects for the recovery of gas that is currently flared at three oil fields in southern Iraq to supply electric power plants, the redevelopment of the Artawi oil field, the construction of a 1 GWac (1.25 GWp) solar farm and for the treatment of significant quantities of seawater to be used for pressure maintenance in a number of oil fields. (QNA)