2nd stage of land survey in Gharaf oilfield launched

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Oil Exploration Company (OEC) has begun work on the second stage of its land survey in al-Gharraf oilfield, Thi-Qar province, according to an official statement. “The company will continue its work although much of its equipment has been damaged in al-Gharraf field,” a statement released by the National Media Center quoted an informed source in the company as saying. The company will hire nearly 400 local residents to undertake guarding duties in the field, the source noted. Thi-Qar, 380 km south of Baghdad, has an area of 12,900 square kilometers (4,980.7 sq mi). In 2003 the estimated population of the governorate was 1,454,200 people. Thi-Qar was the second Iraqi province where security responsibilities were transferred from the Multi-National Force (MNF) to the Iraqis. The province’s capital is the city of al-Nassiriya. It also includes the ancient Sumerian ruins of Ur, Eridu, Lagash and Ngirsu. Before 1976 the province was known as al-Muntafiq. SS (P) 1