BAGHDAD, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Output from Iraq's Basra GasCompany (BGC) is expected to reach 1,050 million standard cubicfeet per day (mcf/d) by the end of 2018, an increase of 150million mcf/d from current levels, the oil ministry said in astatement on Thursday.Iraq's gas development plans have long focused on BGC, a $17billion joint venture between Royal Dutch Shell,state-run South Gas Company and Mitsubishi.
The Basra gas project is seeking to reach a targeted levelof capturing and processing 2,000 mcf/d, the statement said.
The project was designed to aggregate gas from fields in thesouth including West Qurna 1, operated by Exxon Mobil Corp, Zubair, operated by Italy's Eni, and Rumaila,developed by BP.(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by Jan Harvey)