IEA: Iraq Making Slow But Steady Progress on Gas Flaring

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued its Gas Market Report, Q1-2025, in which it describes Iraq's progress towards reducing gas flaring as, "slow but steady."

It says: "In the Middle East the role of natural gas in the power sector has been increasing in the past decade and oil-to-gas switching continued in 2024, driven by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia,"

adding: "Iraq has made slow but steady progress towards reducing gas flaring since the early 2010s, but in mid-2024 it still captured only 65% of its gross natural gas output while flaring away 12 bcm annually. In early 2024 Iraq committed to reducing crude burning for power generation from May to December 2024 to meet OPEC+ obligations and the government-owned South Gas Company announced an accelerated gas utilisation plan to maximise gas capture volumes and reduce power sector oil use by 2028."