Iraq plans to ramp up its refining capacity by more than 80,000 b/d in 2021, oil minister Ihsan Ismaael said Feb. 8, as OPEC’s second largest producer seeks to lower dependence on oil product imports. Receive daily email alerts, subscriber notes & personalize your experience. Register Now The new increments in capacity will come from southern refineries, Ismaael said in a statement. He didn’t disclose the country’s current refining capacity. Ministry officials weren’t immediately available to comment on the refining capacity. The ministry signed in January an initial agreement with a consortium that includes China’s Norinco, Power China and CNEC to build a 100,000 b/d refinery in Dhi Qar governorate in the south. The country is also building a greenfield 140,000 b/d refinery in Karbala. […]