TPAO may bid for Iraqi oil, gas fields

Bloomberg

TPAO wants to develop and operate the Kirkuk, Majnoon, Rumaila and Zubair oil fields in central and northern Iraq, Uysal said in an interview in Turkey’s capital Ankara yesterday.

TPAO is also negotiating with U.S. oil companies about bidding partnerships, he said without identifying them.

Iraq, holder of the world’s third-largest oil reserves, is seeking to attract investors to develop its oil and gas fields. The country has pre-qualified 35 bidders including Shell, BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Lukoil for a first round of bids due in the second quarter of this year.

Uysal said TPAO also wants to develop and run Iraqi natural gas fields of Mansuriyah and Akkas with partners including Turkish pipeline company Botaş.

TPAO had "successful" negotiations with international oil companies during a workshop in Istanbul on Feb. 12 and Feb. 13, Uysal said.

Shell signed a memorandum of understanding with TPAO and Botas in November to examine gas exploration projects in Iraq.