The Iraqi Oil Exploration Company (IOEC) has commenced the second phase of a land survey in Thi-Qar, an official document made available to the National Media Centre has shown.

An official familiar with the survey at the al-Gharraf field in Thi-Qar said in the statement that the company will provide training and employment for nearly 400 local residents to carry out guarding duties during the survey.

"The company will continue its work although much of its equipment has been damaged in al-Gharraf field," the representative added.

Speaking to Aswat al-Iraq, the province's governor Taleb al-Hassan has also confirmed that 532 development projects have been planned in the area, which is located around 300 km south of Baghdad.

He added that a budget of 50 billion Iraqi dinars (£28.1 million) has been set aside to fund the projects.

Meanwhile, officials in the capital yesterday (May 10th) confirmed that they would permit the Kurdish authorities in the north to begin exporting oil.

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