US energy company Excelerate Energy says its major gas project in Iraq is being delayed because of ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The company explained that it had signed an agreement in October 2025 with a branch of Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity to build the country’s first LNG import terminal.
The project includes a five-year deal for gas supply and regasification services, with Iraq expected to import at least 250 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.
But construction work and jetty reinforcement have now been temporarily delayed due to regional tensions and security concerns.
Because of that, the terminal is no longer expected to start operating in the third quarter of 2026 as originally planned. The company now expects the project to begin in 2027.
Even with the delay, Excelerate said the long-term need for the project has not changed. Iraq still faces ongoing electricity shortages and limited gas processing capacity, making imported LNG an important option for the country.
Company CEO Steven Kobos said the Iraq project remains important, but the company had to adjust its financial outlook because of the delay.
He added that one of the company’s floating gas units, called Excelerate Acadia, may instead be temporarily deployed to Jordan until work in Iraq can move forward again.
