§ Sir Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Iraqi oil(a) production and (b) exports have been in each month since December 2003; what the average price paid for Iraqi oil exports was in each month; and if he will make a statement. [178942]
§ Mr. StrawInformation on Iraq's oil production can be found on the CPA website at www.cpa-iraq.org, which produces weekly reconstruction status reports.
Since December 2003 Iraqi oil production has averaged between a high of 2.595 million barrels per day (mbpd) on 16 April and a low of 1.85 mbpd during the period 14 to 20 May 2004. Average production for December 2003 was 1.953 mbpd; January 2004: 2.103 mbpd, and February 2003: 2.004 mbpd.
Average crude oil exports from Iraq for each month since December 2003 to May 2004 are shown in the following table.
Monthly average crude oil exports from Iraq Million barrels per day December 2003 1.541 January 2004 1.537 February 2004 1.382 March 2004 1.825 April 2004 1.804 May 2004 1.380 The Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) is the body responsible for the sale of Iraqi oil on the international market. Given the relatively low number of contracts that have been awarded, information on the price paid for Iraqi oil exports has not been released by the SOMO in order to protect commercial confidentiality.
§ Sir Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much Iraqi oil has been sold domestically in Iraq in each month since May 2003; and if he will make a statement. [178943]
§ Mr. StrawOn average around 0.6 million barrels per day of Iraq's daily oil production is reserved for domestic consumption. This is used for both industrial purposes, for example in Iraq's power stations, and for refining to produce fuel for commercial and domestic use in Iraq.