Looking for Iraq’s oil windfall

The country, which has one of the largest reserves in the world, could pump 6 million barrels a day or more. But that sure isn’t happening now.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Iraqi oil revenue was supposed to cover nearly all the costs of reconstruction.

The county’s reserves are on the order of 115 billion barrels and, depending on who does the counting, tied with Iran for the world’s second largest behind Saudi Arabia’s 264 billion, according to the Energy Information Administration.

In early 2003, proponents of the war in the Bush administration said the entire effort might cost as little as $50 to $60 billion. Iraq was though to be capable of producing 3.5 million barrels of oil a day in short order, with that jumping to 6 million barrels a day or more in a few years’ time. At current oil prices, that could have meant over $130 billion a year in oil money.

Now the U.S. will pour over $100 billion this year into the country, torn apart by a bloody three-year war, while oil production remains below pre-war levels. The latest EIA estimate said Iraq was pumping 1.9 million barrels per day.

CNN/Money