Iraq's West Qurna oil field production fell short of expectations post-2003

After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, expectations for the country"s largest oil field, West Qurna, were set high by Western analysts. It was anticipated that the field could produce up to 2.5 million barrels per day (mmbpd) in its first phase and 1.8 mmbpd in the second phase. However, actual production figures fell significantly short, with output never exceeding 0.6 mmbpd in phase I and 0.5 mmbpd in phase II.

This discrepancy highlights the challenges faced in Iraq"s oil sector following the invasion. The situation has been compounded by ongoing issues within the region, including security concerns and infrastructural difficulties. For more on the impact of these challenges, see recent developments in Iraq"s oil industry.