This Centcom release....

....gives you an idea how much work has to be done to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in conjunction with the Program and Contracting Office, is rebuilding various gas-oil separation plants, in the South Rumulia and West Quarna oil fields of southern Iraq.

The program's goal is to provide three million metric tons of Liquid Petroleum Gas to meet the needs of the Iraqi people. To achieve this objective, the Corps and the project team will restore the functions of 12 GOSPs scattered throughout southern Iraq.

Crude oil, as it exists in the various underground formations, blends together a variety of hydrocarbon molecules. As oil emerges from the ground and is piped to the GOSPs, it is under considerable natural pressure and very hot. Crude oil is a blend of a variety of different liquid and gaseous molecules. Within the GOSP, the crude is allowed to flow into a vessel where the pressure suddenly falls. Under the lower pressure, the gases dissolved in the crude escape, like carbonation escapes from an opened bottle of soda pop.

The GOSP's purpose is to separate the dissolved gases from the liquids, and forward the different products to their respective refining facilities. Once they arrive at the natural gas refinery, they are further separated into butane, propane, liquefied petroleum and other natural gases. These gases can be compressed and placed into home-style vessels and made available to the Iraqi people to use for cooking and heating.

Although coalition forces did not damage these facilities during recent hostilities, GOSPs have suffered from years of neglect attributed to Iraq's inability to secure replacement parts for many of the systems. Also, many facilities suffered heavy looting.

Presently, the project is in the detailed engineering and procurement phase. Many of the components germane to these facilities are specialized pieces of equipment and require significant periods of time to fabricate and deliver to the jobsite. During the second half of 2005, installation and construction will start. The project team is working hard to have these facilities performing at their design capacity by Dec. 31, 2005.

This is just one part of Iraq's infrastructure. Many other areas are in just a decrepit shape as this.