Iraq: Control achieved over limited fire at Al-Andab oil field southeast of Baghdad

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced on Friday afternoon that it had brought under control a fire that broke out at the Ahdab oil field, which has a production capacity of 65,000 barrels per day, in Wasit province (170 kilometers southeast of Baghdad).

In a press statement, the Ministry of Oil said: “The incident was limited and resulted from a fire in one of the evaporation ponds for oil waste, outside the production process.”

It confirmed that “the fire did not affect the production operations at the field, as it is located more than 400 meters away from work and production sites. Specialized technical teams and firefighting and safety units responded immediately to the incident, and it was brought under control in accordance with established procedures.”

Salem Al-Rakabi, the official spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, stated that a fire had erupted at the Ahdab oil field in Wasit province (170 kilometers southeast of Baghdad).

Responding to journalists’ questions about the blaze at Ahdab, Al-Rakabi said: “The fire is under control and is being extinguished without any release of toxic gases and without affecting production operations at the field.”

He clarified that “the fire was not related to the production system, but rather to the evaporation ponds for oil waste. After addressing the fire, an investigation will be launched to determine its causes.”

The Ahdab oil field is one of the largest oil fields operated by the Middle Oil Company, and it has been under the investment and operation of China National Petroleum Corporation for approximately two decades.