DNOs production in the Q1 2011 hit 39,945 bopd, up from 12,442bopd in the same quarter last year.

ENI announced that production was down 8.6 percent in Q1 due to the conflict in Libya, which previously accounted for about 15 per cent of its total output.

Iraq is not planning to reduce its ambitious 12mn bpd crude production capacity target by 2017 to levels between 6.5mn bpd and 7mn bpd according to Deputy Prime Minister for energy, Hussain al-Shahristani.

The Iraqi Oil Ministry reiterated that the country was still on track to achieve a crude oil production target of 6.5 million bpd by 2014 despite a recent IMF report arguing that Iraq will see a lower output rise because of infrastructure challenges.