Iraq: More Momentum

26 September 2008 Judging by the way preparations are going at the oil ministry in Baghdad, Iraq’s second postwar bid round promises to be even more controversial than the first. When launched in late June with six producing oil fields and two gas fields, the first offering was slammed by some as selling off the country’s crown jewels. According to plans now being drawn up, Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani…

Iraq Finalizes Fields to Be Offered in Bid Round Next Week

26 December 2008 Iraq’s oil ministry decided Wednesday to launch its second postwar bid round for oil and gas field development with 14 oil fields and two gas fields spread over Iraq’s regions, ministry sources said Wednesday. The official announcement will be made by Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani in Baghdad on Dec. 31. Opinions in the ministry are divided over whether Iraq should launch a new bidding round before…

ONGC, Pertamina Renegotiate Iraqi Deals

25 April 2008 India’s state Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) and Indonesia’s Pertamina recently opened talks with Iraq’s oil ministry about renegotiating exploration contracts signed with the Baath regime before the war in 2003, Iraqi officials told International Oil Daily Thursday. The two companies met with Iraqi ministry officials in Amman last week to adapt the deals to the new model contracts — called Service Exploration and Production Contracts…

Iraq Buys Favor With China on Al-Ahdab

27 March 2007 The Iraqi government decided to renegotiate an old production sharing contract which had been signed by China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) to develop the 90,000 barrel per day Al-Ahdab oil field with the former Iraqi regime “for political and legal reasons” rather than retender, a senior Iraqi government official told International Oil Daily late last week. CNPC officials traveled to Baghdad earlier this month for a first…