Lukoil, Zarubezhneft qualify for Iraqi oil deposit tender
MOSCOW. March 12 (Interfax) - Russian oil companies Lukoil and Zarubezhneft have qualified for a tender for the development of Iraq's Nasiriya oil deposit and the building of the refinery Nasiriya Integrated Project, a statement issued by the Iraqi Oil Ministry says.
Also on the list of companies admitted to the tender are China National Petroleum Corporation, Brown Energy of the United States, India's Reliance Industries, Total of France, and Japan's JGC & Tonen General.
The deposits resources amount to four billion barrels. The project involves building a refinery with capacity of 300,000 barrels per day. A preliminary feasibility study for this facility has been done by Foster Wheeler.
Expectations are that contracts for deposit development and refinery construction will be inked before the end of this year.
The Lukoil press service told Interfax that the receipt of qualification means access to tender documentation. "After we obtain the tender documentation and study it, only then will we make a decision as to whether will take part in the tenders," a company source said.
The Zarubezhneft press service told Interfax that the company has all the ability and experience it needs for successful involvement in the project. It has fulfilled contracts for the building-up of the Severnaya Rumeila deposit, developing the first line at the West Qurna oil deposit in Iraq, and drilling more than four hundred wells in southern Iraq, the company said.
Lukoil is taking part in the development of the immense West Qurna-2 deposit, which contains around fourteen barrels billion of oil. It has also, in partnership with Inpex of Japan, secured a contract for geological prospecting, development, and production at Block 10.
