Iraq plans to raise oil production from four Kirkuk oil fields to 450,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) and develop gas output of 500 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d), Oil Minister Basim Al-Abadi said on October 15, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

The Ministry of Oil said operations at the Kirkuk, Bai Hassan, Khabbaz, and Jambur fields were transferred from the North Oil Company and North Gas Company to a joint operating body, as part of the government’s strategy to develop the oil and gas industry.

Al-Abadi said the project is executed in partnership with the British oil and gas giant BP.

He revealed that the project aimed to increase oil production and utilise gas resources, adding that round-the-clock work would be needed to meet the targets and support the national economy.

Al-Abadi described BP as a strategic partner in developing the fields and said cooperation with the company would help address operational challenges and obstacles.

The ministry would provide the necessary support to BP, with the North Oil Company and North Gas Company contributing to implementation under the supervision of the ministry’s undersecretaries for extraction affairs and gas affairs, he added.

The project also includes training ministry staff, transferring technical expertise and technology, and providing community services to build facilities needed by local residents, Al-Abadi said.

In March 2025, Iraq’s Council of Ministers approved a contract with BP to rehabilitate and develop the four Kirkuk fields, targeting peak oil production of 420,000 bbl/d and gas utilisation of 400 mmscf/d.