Iraq Starts Countdown for Contract Awards

14 October 2008 Iraq’s oil ministry on Monday launched a competition among 35 international oil companies for six of Iraq’s most prized oil fields and two undeveloped gas fields under 20-year service contracts, which Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani said he expects to be “finalized and presented to the Iraqi cabinet for ratification before the end of June.” Prequalified companies for Iraq’s first bid round, including all the majors as…

Iraq to Establish Body to Speed up Awards

16 July 2008 The Iraqi government will soon submit a draft law to the legislative council on setting up a National Council for Reconstruction and Development tasked with speeding up contract awards for strategic projects, including oil field development contracts, a senior Iraqi official said Tuesday. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Monday that the cabinet had endorsed the new body on Jul. 13. He will preside over the council,…

Iraq Outlines Details of First Bid Round

11 March 2008 Iraq intends to offer five big producing fields and two small ones in its first bid round, planned for this year, in an attempt to boost output by a significant amount as speedily as possible, a senior government official involved in the process and Iraqi oil ministry sources told International Oil Daily Monday. The fields will be offered on service contracts running for at least 20 years….

Iraqi Cabinet OKs Deals With Majors

5 March 2008 The Iraqi cabinet has given the oil ministry the go-ahead to sign technical support contracts to develop five producing fields with five of the world’s top oil firms, Iraqi sources told International Oil Daily Tuesday. The companies — BP, Chevron with partner Total, Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell — have now been invited to a new round of talks in Amman, Jordan, starting on Mar. 14….