An Iraqi oil technician turns a valve at a gas installation as flames resulting from the burning of excess hydrocarbons rise in the background at the Nahr Bin Omar natural gas field, north of the southern Iraqi port of Basra on January 22, 2018.
Iraq will is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with US energy company Orion on January 22 to tap gas at the oil field in the south of the country, the petroleum ministry said.
The Nahr Bin Omar field, situated in the hydrocarbon-rich Basra province, is currently producing 40,000 barrels of oil a day, but only a small part of the gas from the field is being exploited. / AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR MOHAMMED ALI (Photo credit should read HAIDAR MOHAMMED ALI/AFP/Getty Images)