Russia’s Lukoil said production at its West Qurna-2 project in Iraq has reached 280,000 bbl/d.

The company also reported in a news release that a crude carrier chartered by LITASCO, Lukoil’s international marketing and trading arm, arrived July 30 in south Iraq's port of Basra to receive the first batch of oil. The vessel will spend several days in the port to load 1 MMbbl of oil. It is the first crude carrier to transport buy-back oil that belongs to Lukoil in accordance with the terms of the West Qurna-2 service contract, the company said.

The project is continuing according to plan with Lukoil successfully fulfilling its contractual obligations, Lukoil said. Production at the 300 sq km (116 sq miles) field started in late March. Recoverable reserves are estimated at about 13 Bbbl.