Sharaq News/ Russia’s No.2 oil producer Lukoil is running into difficulties staffing its assets in Iraq due to the new coronavirus and associated restrictions, chief executive Vagit Alekperov, was cited on Saturday by Interfax news as saying.

Lukoil manages the West Qurna 2 oilfield, 65 km (40 miles) north-west of Basra. It is one of the world’s largest fields, with reserves of around 14 billion barrels, according to Lukoil.

“In Iraq we have a problem with replacing shift workers,” Alekperov was cited as saying on state television. “We are reaching deals with people to keep them on for shifts that are 60 days long or more.”