Luhais

The Luhais oil field, discovered by the Iraq Petroleum Company in 1961, is located in the Widyan North Arabian Gulf basin in southern Basra province. It produces 30° API medium sour crude. Although discovered early, development was delayed until 1978 due to the field’s lower priority compared to larger nearby fields like Rumaila, West Qurna, and Zubair. Initial production capacity reached 50,000 b/d but production was halted in 1980 due to the Iran-Iraq war. Operations resumed in 1999 at a reduced rate of 25,000 b/d. Currently operated by the state-owned Basra Oil Company (BOC), Luhais functions as a swing producer similar to Majnoon, helping Iraq manage its OPEC+ production quotas. As a result, output can vary significantly, ranging from 11,000 b/d to over 50,000 b/d within a single year. With Iraq’s OPEC+ curtailments expected to ease by June 2026, production at Luhais is projected to gradually increase to 70,000 b/d by 2028.