Iraqi Supply Loss Could Expose The Real Limits Of OPEC Spare Capacity

Iraq has already begun shutting in production as exports through the Strait of Hormuz become increasingly constrained. Roughly 1.5 million barrels per day are reportedly offline, and officials have warned that figure could approach 3 million bpd if disruptions persist. At 3 million bpd, this becomes one of the largest sudden supply losses in the modern market outside of sanctions or war. Iraq’s total crude production has been running near 4.0–4.3 million bpd, according to recent OPEC secondary-source data. Exports typically average between 3.2 and 3.4 million bpd, the vast majority shipped from southern terminals at Basrah. China and India together account for roughly two-thirds of those flows, making Iraq one of Asia’s most critical heavy crude suppliers. That output is heavily concentrated in the southern fields feeding Basrah exports. Rumaila alone has nameplate capacity of around 1.4–1.5 million bpd and routinely produces well above 1.3 million bpd. West Qurna 1 produces roughly 600,000 bpd, with capacity closer to 650,000–670,000. West Qurna 2 is producing around 460,000 bpd, though development plans have targeted 750,000–800,000. Zubair’s design capacity is roughly 700,000 bpd. The Maysan complex contributes roughly 300,000–350,000 bpd. Taken together, those fields account for the bulk of Iraq’s export engine. […]