Source:
ReutersBAGHDAD, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Electricity cuts that blacked out Iraq's northern oilfields and main refinery this week were a timely reminder that its hopes of boosting oil production rest on something it does not have -- a dependable power supply.
Iraq has managed to sustain production of around 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), but levels were close to 3 million bpd before the U.S.-led war on Iraq in March 2003.
While sabotage attacks have constantly interrupted the country's attempts to increase oil production, power cuts are nearly as detrimental.
The latest major disruption was on Wednesday, when Iraq's largest refinery at Baiji, 180 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad, was shut down by a power cut.
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