Race Against Time

Since the Rumaila service contract entered into effect on Dec.17, BP and the Rumaila operating division of SOC have not been wasting any time. They held the first joint management committee meeting on Jan.20, decided on a $1.7 billion budget for 2010, and launched the first tenders for drilling and supply contracts. The target is to add between 150,000-200,000 b/d by December 2010 and rehabilitate the gas oil separation facilities…

Shiltagh Aboud

Basrah Governor Dr Shiltagh Aboud lays down his expectations from international oil companies in an interview with Ruba Husari in his office in Basrah Feb. 4th, 2010. Q: Five of the oil fields development contracts awarded recently concern fields in the Basrah province, how do you see the benefits beyond the oil sector? A: I personally consider that the organization of the bid rounds and the participation of companies from…

The Real Winners

In retrospect, and despite what was considered at the time a ridiculously low fee, producing oil fields awarded to international oil companies in the first bid round turned out to be the most lucrative in terms of the service fee they will be paid. That’s excluding the three fields that will be producing less than 200,000 b/d (see table below). Even with the protracted negotiations over amendments to the final producing…

A Shell Stunt

After watching Royal Dutch Shell go for the kill on Majnoon oil field, I’m stunned and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I expected companies to try and undercut each other to win one of the fields offered in the second bid round, before the door of Iraq oil closes again. But I didn’t expect them to go way below the maximum remuneration fee the oil ministry was willing…