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Some locals fear that pollution from flaring is contributing to high rates of leukaemia and other cancers among those living in nearby towns. Meanwhile, the methane released by the process is a huge problem for the climate.

BP and other international oil companies working in this part of the world have made hundreds of millions of pounds over the last decade. During that time, flaring has been out of control.

But loopholes in emissions reporting rules mean that this has remained out of sight from shareholders and the wider public....

Italian oil giant Eni holds a 41% interest in Zubair, according to oil industry analysts. Eni argues that it is technically a contractor for the Iraqi government, rather than a joint owner or operator of the field. The company states that it has no responsibility for flaring at Zubair, which falls on the field’s owner, state oil firm the Basra Oil Company..

In response to these findings, a spokesperson for BP said: “We are extremely concerned by the issues raised by the BBC — we will immediately review those concerns and work with our partners on any necessary interventions. We are fully committed to supporting further improvements at this vitally important field for Iraq.”

A spokesperson for Eni said: “Eni monitors its activities in line with best practices, and continues to be a major investor in wider healthcare system improvement across Iraq. Eni strongly rejects the links that you are making between its responsibilities as a contractor in the work you are doing to assess the impact of flaring on human health.”

The spokesperson added that Eni conducts its own air testing “related to its strict area of operations”; its most recent survey, in November 2021, recorded levels “within acceptable ranges”...