An Iraqi oil ministry delegation has left to Amman to hold meetings with 17 major international energy firms on building a new refinery either in Mosul to the north or the southern port city of Basra. 

"The delegation, led by Deputy Oil Minister Ahmad al-Shama, left Baghdad today to meet the representatives of 17 American, British French, Japanese, Canadian, Italian, Chinese and Dutch energy firms," said oil ministry spokesman Asim Jihad on Monday, according to <i>AFP</I>. Iraq aims "to build in the next three years a new oil refinery with a capacity of 250,000-300,000 barrels per day (bpd) at an estimated cost of $2 billion," he added.

© 2005 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)