Q&A: Hossam Hussein Wali, director general of the South Refineries Company

SHUAIBA - Iraq's refining sector is key to the Oil Ministry's goals of improving the government's financial position and boosting production while keeping global oil markets in balance.

The country still averages nearly 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) of refined product imports, despite being the world's third-largest oil exporter. More refining capacity would not only enable the government to save money on fuel purchases, it would enable Iraq to get more value out of the oil it produces.