Iraq is moving swiftly to develop its Akkas and Mansouriya gas fields to address rising domestic energy needs, Deputy Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair said on Tuesday.

During a visit to the Midland Oil Company, Khudair stressed the urgency of investing in the fields and reviewed ongoing production and infrastructure projects, according to a statement from the Oil Ministry.

The Mansouriya field holds 4.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and could produce over 300 million cubic feet per day if fully developed. Iraq’s cabinet recently approved a development contract for the field with a consortium led by China’s Jereh Group and Petro Iraq after previous deals with other foreign firms, including Chinese and Turkish companies, collapsed without explanation.

Iraq’s four major non-associated gas fields include Akkas in Al-Anbar, Mansouriya in Diyala, Siba in Basra, and Khor Mor in Al-Sulaymaniyah. In mid-2023, Baghdad signed four contracts with France’s TotalEnergies to boost oil and gas production.

The push to secure domestic gas has intensified after US President Donald Trump revoked Iraq’s sanctions waiver for importing electricity and gas from Iran—a supply Iraq has long relied on, particularly during peak summer demand, under repeated US exemptions.

Baghdad has also sought alternative energy sources, including an agreement to import gas from Turkmenistan, though logistical and financial challenges—including routing issues through Iran—have delayed implementation.