Basrah Refinery: Water, Effluent & Process Profile

Water & effluent

Intake source: river
Intake note: Inferred: the Shatt al-Arab is the main raw-water source for Basra; the refinery's own intake point is not published.
Not public (cooling): Existence of a 'cooling water plant' in the FCC complex is published; whether the older units use towers or once-through is not.
Raw water quality: Shatt al-Arab has become saline from seawater intrusion: 25,000-40,000 TDS reported over 120 km of the river (2025); Nov 2025 report: Faw 30,000 ppm, central Basra 15,000 ppm, Qurna 3,000 ppm. Basra municipal RO plants are designed for 2,000-30,000 mg/l feed salinity. Refinery-specific intake analysis not public.
Effluent treatment: API/CPI
Effluent treatment note: Existing system type not described beyond removing oil/grease and TSS without 'integrated treatment units' (inferred primary oil separation only). New FCC complex includes its own WWTP (type not published).
Discharge to: Shatt Al-Basrah canal (per academic discharge studies)
Not public (discharge): Iraqi effluent limits are referenced in the studies ('Iraqi limiting criteria') but the refinery permit and numerical limits are not public; the governing instrument (Iraqi river-maintenance regulation) must be confirmed.
Sources: researchgate.net ; researchgate.net ; thenewregion.com ; thenewregion.com ; constructionweekonline.com ; nsenergybusiness.com

Known issues

2009-2010 monitoring: turbidity, TDS, sulphide, sulphate, COD, oil and grease and phenols exceeded Iraqi limits at discharge
Duckweed phytotreatment trial on refinery wastewater: BOD5 -49.6%, COD -32.7%, oil and grease -43%, phenols -40% (indicates residual organics after existing treatment)
Raw-water salinity crisis on the Shatt al-Arab (2018 and 2025) makes any fresh-water-based wash water, boiler feed or cooling make-up a desalination duty

Site, ownership & capacity

Owners

Name	Share pct	Source	Basis
Republic of Iraq, Ministry of Oil (via South Refineries Company)	100	src.gov.iq	state company; 100% inferred from state ownership, no share figure published

Country

Iraq

Region

Basra Governorate

Town

Shuaiba, Basra

Coastal

No

Water body

Shatt al-Arab / Shatt Al-Basrah canal system (effluent studies refer to discharge to the Shatt Al-Basrah canal)

Not public

Plant coordinates, elevation and the exact raw-water intake point are not published; coastal=false is inferred (Shuaiba is inland of the Gulf coast) and should be confirmed from satellite imagery.

Sources

src.gov.iq ; researchgate.net

Capacity

Crude bpd: 280,000
Notes: 280,000 bpd after the fourth 70,000 bpd distillation unit (inaugurated 23 Dec 2023). Argus (29 Oct 2025) still quotes 210,000 b/d, so nameplate reporting is inconsistent. Nelson complexity not published (gap).
Sources: iraqoilreport.com ; mees.com ; argusmedia.com

Process units

Unit	Capacity	Year	Source
CDU	70,000 bpd (Refinery 1 / first refining unit)	1974	src.gov.iq
CDU	70,000 bpd (second refining unit; SRC site prints '700,000', which is a typo: total became 140,000)	1979	src.gov.iq
CDU	70,000 bpd (Refinery 3; construction from 2011)	2014	src.gov.iq
CDU	70,000 bpd plus LPG 167 t/d (fourth refining unit; contractor Techno Export (Czech), later replaced)	2023	en.964media.com
HDS/HDT	Refinery 3 hydrotreating ('hydrogenation') unit, capacity not published	2015	src.gov.iq
reformer	Refinery 3 'gasoline improvement' unit, capacity not published	2015	src.gov.iq
HDS/HDT	2 x 29,000 bpd light-distillate hydrotreating units (undated older listing)		abarrelfull.wikidot.com
reformer	2 x 8,000 bpd 'gasoline improvement' units (undated older listing)		abarrelfull.wikidot.com
HDS/HDT	1 x 12,000 bpd gas-oil hydrotreating unit (undated older listing)		abarrelfull.wikidot.com
fractionation	2 x 200 t/d LPG production units (undated older listing)		abarrelfull.wikidot.com
VDU	Vacuum and solvent (lube base oil) units, capacity not published	1986	abarrelfull.wikidot.com
fractionation	Wax unit 100,000 t/yr (established 1982, operational 1996)	1996	abarrelfull.wikidot.com
CDU	4 x 10,000 bpd mobile (packaged) refining units, operated Feb-Sep 1997	1997	abarrelfull.wikidot.com
FCC	34,500 bpd (FCC complex, JGC EPCC). Iraqi government releases (Oct 2025) quote '107,000 bpd' for the FCC strategic unit, probably complex-level throughput; unreconciled	2025	jgc.com ; en.964media.com
VDU	55,000 bpd (new, FCC complex)	2025	jgc.com
HDS/HDT	40,000 bpd diesel desulphurisation unit (new, FCC complex)	2025	jgc.com
HDS/HDT	Hydrotreating facility and light gas oil hydrotreater (FCC complex), capacity not published	2025	nsenergybusiness.com
hydrogen plant	not published (FCC complex)	2025	nsenergybusiness.com
SRU	not published (FCC complex)	2025	nsenergybusiness.com
sour water stripper	not published (FCC complex)	2025	nsenergybusiness.com
amine	amine regeneration unit, not published (FCC complex)	2025	nsenergybusiness.com
fractionation	Visbreaking unit and LPG oligomerisation unit, not published (FCC complex)	2025	nsenergybusiness.com

Known equipment

Item	Detail	Not public	Vendor	Source	Note
desalter	No public record of the desalter make, stages, count or transformer rating at any of the four distillation units.	SRC tender portal (src.gov.iq) and Iraqi Ministry of Oil tender bulletins; a site visit or SRC data request for desalter nameplates.
electrostatic transformer	Not found in public sources for this site.	Same as desalter; transformer kVA/voltage is on the desalter datasheets.
WWTP unit	FCC complex offsites include a waste water treatment plant, water treatment plant, cooling water plant, three steam generators, flare gas recovery units, nitrogen and instrument-air generation.		JGC (EPCC)	nsenergybusiness.com
WWTP unit	Existing refinery wastewater treatment system (studied 2009-2010) reduced oil and grease and TSS but 'lacks integrated treatment units'; turbidity, TDS, sulphide, sulphate, COD, oil and grease and phenols exceeded Iraqi limits.			researchgate.net	Full text returned HTTP 403; detail taken from search-result abstracts only.
cooling tower	Cooling water plant listed in FCC complex offsites; type (towers vs once-through) not stated.			nsenergybusiness.com

Feed

Crude slate

Southern Iraqi field crude (Rumaila/Zubair area) by pipeline; exact grade to the refinery not published

Reference grades

Basrah medium

Api: 27.93
Sulphur wt pct: 3.45
Tan: 0.11
Note: assay summary via search result; date not seen
Sources: scribd.com

Basrah medium salt ptb

Value: 291.1
Basis: OIES Table 6, Nov 2020 assay spec; column mapping to Basrah Medium inferred from table order and OIES text that Medium has 'higher-than-acceptable salt'. Basrah Light 36.7 and Basrah Heavy 34.6 lb/1000 bbl on the same basis.
Sources: oxfordenergy.org

Basrah heavy

Api: 23.7
Sulphur wt pct: 4.12
Tan: 0.3
V ppm: 93
Ni ppm: 24
Fe ppm: 50
Assay date: 2015-06-04 (BP)
Sources: ogj.com

Not public

Which grade (or unsegregated field blend) SRC actually charges is not public; ask SRC for the charge assay and desalter inlet/outlet salt (PTB). Field desalting upstream is in progress (ROO installing dehydrators and desalters per OIES).

Sources

iraqoilreport.com ; en.wikipedia.org

Chemistry & corrosion risks

high salt crude
chloride/overhead corrosion
H2S/SSC
emulsions
scaling
fouling
naphthenic acid corrosion

High salt: Basrah Medium spec salt 291.1 lb/1000 bbl (OIES, basis inferred) drives desalter duty and overhead chloride. H2S/SSC: reference grades carry 3.45-4.12 wt% sulphur. Naphthenic acid: listed for completeness but LOW on published TAN (0.11-0.30 mg KOH/g, below the usual ~0.5 threshold). Emulsions: basis inferred from high salt and water content in the reference grades; no site emulsion data found. Scaling/fouling: saline Shatt al-Arab make-up water.

Site conditions

Climate: Hot desert; extreme summer heat
Ambient max c: 53.9
Ambient note: 53.9 C recorded at Basra, 21-22 July 2016 (Iraqi Meteorological Department). A 56 C Basra airport claim (2013) is less well sourced.
Not public (seismic): Iraqi seismic code zone for Basra not retrieved.
Ground: Basra soils: gypsum, high salinity, shallow water table; sulphate attack is the main cause of concrete foundation deterioration; groundwater evaporation increases salinisation. Site-specific geotechnical data not public.
Not public (flood): No site-specific flood data found.
Not public (hazardous area): Not published; JGC-built FCC complex likely to IEC/IECEx practice but unconfirmed - ask SRC for the area classification drawings and certification requirement.
Sources: gulfnews.com ; plantmaps.com ; faculty.uobasrah.edu.iq ; researchgate.net

History

Year	Event	Detail	Source
1969	ownership change	South Refineries Company established as a state company under the Ministry of Oil.	src.gov.iq
1974	commissioning	First refining unit (70,000 bpd) started production 4 July 1974. (NS Energy gives 1973 commissioning and 170,000 bpd original capacity; SRC's own figures preferred.)	src.gov.iq
1976	expansion	Construction of the second 70,000 bpd refining unit began.	src.gov.iq
1979	expansion	Second unit on stream; refinery capacity 140,000 bpd.	src.gov.iq
1980	outage	Production stopped by the Iran-Iraq war for eight years.	src.gov.iq
1982	expansion	Wax unit (100,000 t/yr) established; operational 1996.	abarrelfull.wikidot.com
1986	expansion	Vacuum and solvent units added.	abarrelfull.wikidot.com
1989	revamp	Restarted after about two years of reconstruction by Iraqi staff.	src.gov.iq
1991	incident	Refinery destroyed by coalition bombing in the Gulf War (SRC dates it 1990) and restarted in 1991.	src.gov.iq
1997	expansion	Four 10,000 bpd mobile refining units operated February-September 1997.	abarrelfull.wikidot.com
2011	upgrade	Shaw awarded a feasibility study for refinery rehabilitation; construction of the third 70,000 bpd unit began.	abarrelfull.wikidot.com ; src.gov.iq
2012	upgrade	Basrah Refinery Upgrading Project (FCC complex) launched with JICA ODA financing.	iraq-businessnews.com
2014	expansion	Third refining unit on stream; capacity 210,000 bpd.	src.gov.iq
2015	expansion	Third hydrotreating and gasoline improvement unit operating. Technip and UNICO International appointed PMC for the upgrade (April 2015). Techno Export contracted mid-2015 for the fourth unit.	src.gov.iq ; nsenergybusiness.com ; en.964media.com
2018	expansion	Ministry of Oil announced work on the 70,000 bpd expansion (target 280,000 bpd by end-2018; delivered 2023).	hydrocarbonprocessing.com
2020	outage	April 2020: two-thirds of 210,000 bpd capacity shut in as COVID-19 cut demand.	iraqoilreport.com
2020	upgrade	JGC awarded EPCC for FCC complex (FCC 34,500, VDU 55,000, DDU 40,000 bpd), about JPY 400 bn, August 2020.	jgc.com
2023	expansion	Fourth 70,000 bpd refining unit inaugurated 23 Dec 2023 (167 t/d LPG); Techno Export removed, legal dispute unresolved; capacity 280,000 bpd.	en.964media.com ; iraqoilreport.com
2025	upgrade	FCC complex inaugurated by PM al-Sudani 25 Oct 2025; commissioning phase from Oct 2025; commercial operation expected Dec 2025; JGC technology transfer to Dec 2026.	en.964media.com ; argusmedia.com
2026	outage	FCC unit stood down under preservation when JGC suspended work after Japan raised its security risk assessment (regional military developments); JGC lifted force majeure and returned 10 Aug 2026 to finish commissioning.	tradingview.com,2026-07-31:newsml_Zaw7XyxFX:0-iraq-s-basra-fcc-unit-ready-for-restart-pending-return-of-japanese-contractor/ ; mees.com

Performance

Throughput recent: Jan 2024: refinery 'receiving up to 300,000 bpd' of crude from southern fields after pipeline completion. Before its 2026 stoppage the FCC was making about 1.5 million litres/day gasoline.
Notes: No audited recent crude runs published; utilisation not calculable. Target products from FCC complex: about 5 million l/d gasoline, 7 million l/d diesel, 400 t/d LPG (Ministry of Oil, Aug 2026).
Not public: Monthly crude runs from Ministry of Oil statistics or JODI.
Sources: iraqoilreport.com ; tradingview.com,2026-07-31:newsml_Zaw7XyxFX:0-iraq-s-basra-fcc-unit-ready-for-restart-pending-return-of-japanese-contractor/ ; iraqinews.com

Projects

Project	Status	Epc or licensor	Year	Source
Basrah Refinery Upgrading Project - FCC complex (33 units incl. FCC, VDU, DDU, H2, SRU, SWS, amine, WWTP), USD 4.8 bn	Mechanically complete; commissioning resumed after JGC returned 10 Aug 2026	JGC (EPCC) with Hyundai E&C JV; Technip/UNICO PMC; JICA ODA loans	2026	mees.com ; tradingview.com,2026-07-31:newsml_Zaw7XyxFX:0-iraq-s-basra-fcc-unit-ready-for-restart-pending-return-of-japanese-contractor/
JICA 6th-phase loan, USD 388 m, for the Basrah Refinery Upgrading Project	signed Nov 2024	JICA	2024	iraq-businessnews.com
SRC limited tender 522/2025: control rooms for hydrotreating and reforming units of Basra Refinery 3	tendered 2025		2025	turkishmarketer.com
'FCC unit' USD 125 m, Japanese loan, about 75% complete (Jan 2024), equipment from China via Umm Qasr	reported Jan 2024; relation to the JGC complex unclear (cost figure inconsistent with USD 4.8 bn)		2024	iraqoilreport.com

Sources & confidence

This profile is compiled from public documents only. Figures are quoted as published, and any inferred value is labelled as inferred. If you can correct or add to it, please contact us.