The French group TotalEnergies has begun construction of phase two of the Ratawi oilfield and a seawater treatment plant, thereby finalising the rollout of the Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP) in Iraq. These two components, the last to move into execution, are carried out alongside Basra Oil Company (30%) and QatarEnergy (25%), with TotalEnergies acting as operator with a 45% interest.
A seawater plant at the heart of oil infrastructure
Located near Um Qasr, the plant will treat up to 5 million barrels of seawater per day for injection into southern Iraqi oilfields. The system is designed to replace freshwater taken from the Tigris, the Euphrates and aquifers. The facility could redirect up to 250,000 cubic metres of freshwater per day to agricultural uses, easing pressure on the country’s water resources.
Ratawi field ramp-up
Launched in 2023, the initial phase of the Ratawi field redevelopment targets output of 120,000 barrels per day (b/d) by early 2026. The second phase will raise capacity to 210,000 b/d by 2028. No routine flaring will be carried out on site, with 160 million cubic feet per day (Mcf/d) of associated gas fully processed in a dedicated plant whose construction began in early 2025.
Power generation and associated gas monetisation
The 300 Mcf/d gas processing unit will also capture gas previously flared from two neighbouring oilfields. A first 50 Mcf/d train will start up in 2026, coinciding with initial Ratawi production. The processed gas will feed power plants with a combined capacity of 1.5 GW, equivalent to the consumption of 1.5 million Iraqi households.
A large worksite mobilising thousands of workers
Around 2,700 people, including 2,000 Iraqi workers, are currently mobilised across the project. Peak construction is expected to engage nearly 7,000 local workers. The multi-energy programme, initiated in August 2023, also includes a 1 GWac solar plant now under construction, marking the execution of all GGIP components.
