Iraq to Up Southern Oil Output to 2.25 Million bpd by End 2006

Iraq has begun a plan to hike crude oil production from its southern oil fields to 2.25 million barrels a day from the current 2 million b/d, the head of the country’s South Oil Co. said Wednesday.

Speaking to Dow Jones Newswires by telephone from Basra, Abdul Jabbar Lauiby also said the company is implementing a project to increase export capacity at two Persian Gulf terminals.