Yemen is planning to ramp up production by 25% to 75,000 barrels of oil per day (bbl/d), Yemen’s energy minister of the country’s internationally-recognised government, Aws Abdullah al-Awd, announced, according to Reuters.

“The oil ministry has put forward a plan to re-export crude oil from all oil fields in Marib and Shabwa … and we have succeeded in rehabilitating al-Nashama oil port on the Arabian Sea,” al-Awd told Reuters in an interview.

According to al-Awd, there are plans in place to build more pipelines and raise the storage capacity at Nashima port, which is a measly 600,000 barrels compared to 3 million barrels in Houthi-controlled Ras Issa port. 

However, the civil war has stifled oil production since 2015 and consequently there are severe damages to infrastructure at Aden refinery, which casts doubts over Yemen’s ability to increase its crude production and revive the sector anytime soon.

Yemen’s pre-war production totalled around 127,000 bbl/d, with proven oil reserves of around 3 billion barrels of oil. Yemen has two primary crude oil streams, with light and sweet Marib and medium-gravity and more sulphur-rich Masila.