BAGHDAD, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell signed deal with Iraq worth $11 billion to build apetrochemicals plant in the southern oil hub of Basra, IndustryMinister Nasser al-Esawi said on Wednesday.
Esawi told a press conference in Baghdad the Nibras complex,which is expected to come on line within five to six years,would make Iraq the largest petrochemical producer in the MiddleEast. The factory's expected output was not immediately clear.
Shell, which is one of the main oil majors operating insouth of Iraq, signed a memorandum of understanding with theministry for the project in 2012. (Reporting by Saif Hameed; Writing by Stephen Kalin; Editing byLouise Heavens)