Russian company LUKoil has started pumping oil at Iraq's West Qurna-2 field.
A ceremony was held at the West Qurna-2 field marking the start of commercial production.
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs Husayn al-Shahristani said he expected output to reach some 100,000 barrels per day by the start of April.
Nasir Hashim Fakhr, the Iraqi Oil Ministry official in charge of the West Qurna-2 field, said there are plans for production to reach some 420,000 barrels daily by the end of this year.
LUKoil plans to eventually bring production up to some 1.2 million barrels per day.
The Russian company says the West Qurna-2 field has reserves of some 12.9 billion barrels of oil.
A ceremony was held at the West Qurna-2 field marking the start of commercial production.
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs Husayn al-Shahristani said he expected output to reach some 100,000 barrels per day by the start of April.
Nasir Hashim Fakhr, the Iraqi Oil Ministry official in charge of the West Qurna-2 field, said there are plans for production to reach some 420,000 barrels daily by the end of this year.
LUKoil plans to eventually bring production up to some 1.2 million barrels per day.
The Russian company says the West Qurna-2 field has reserves of some 12.9 billion barrels of oil.