Speaking in an interview with the Al Nahdhah paper Falah said, “The ministry gathers all the potentials it has to raise the standards of the Iraqi refineries and restore their former output power in order to help meet the increasing local needs, especially the need of benzene.”

“[In fact], the output power of the refineries would be increased from 12 million litres of benzene at the beginning of the year to 14 million litres,” added the official.

There is a shortage of oil products like gas and benzene due to damages to Iraq’s oil infrastructure due to the Coalition invasion and the current unrest in the country.