The Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) announced that its Iraq-based unit has set a production record from the Atrush oilfield in the Northern Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), Reuters reported.

“For the first time since the field commenced production operations in July 2017, the total monthly production volume exceeded 1 million barrels of oil in July,” the company said in a statement, noting that the 1 million barrel mark is a key milestone in TAQA Iraq’s ongoing production improvement and expansion plans for the Atrush block.

The current rate of gross production at the Atrush block is approximately 34,000 barrels of oil per day, which is in line with the TAQA’s targets for Q2 2019.

“This significant achievement is a direct result of our Iraq team’s technical expertise and strategic planning efforts. As a global energy player with operations spanning four continents, our operations in Iraq have allowed us to strengthen our expertise as a leading developer of greenfield projects,” TAQA CEO Saeed Al Dhaheri commented.

The Atrush field is located 85 kilometers northwest of Erbil and is one of the largest new oil developments in KRI. It was first discovered in 2011. In its two years of production, the Atrush field has produced 17 million barrels of oil.

“We look forward to building on this achievement to continue to deliver energy to our strategic partners in the Kurdistan Region, and to continue to forge strong relationships with local communities around the Atrush block,” Al Dhaheri added.

It is worth noting that Dana Gas recently announced a new oil discovery in its KRI fields, as well as the largest gas reserves in Iraq.