‘China firms have to compete with giants for Iran oil fields’

Iran says it has told the Chinese companies that have developed the initial phases of two major oil fields that they will have to compete with global energy giants for the future phases of the projects.

The announcement was made by Gholam-Reza Manouchehri, the deputy for development and engineering affairs of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

Manouchehri told IRNA that the NIOC had informed Sinopec and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) that they would have to participate in tenders for further development of Yadavaran and North Azadegan oil fields. 

He added that the Chinese companies had agreed with the proposal.

Based on the contracts with CNPC and Sinopec, they were to be prioritized in talks over the next phases of North Azadegan and Yadavaran, IRNA wrote.

However, it added, it appears that talks with the two have failed and they will therefore need to compete with others in tenders over the next phases of the projects. 

Sinopec signed a deal with NIOC in 2007 worth $2 billion to produce 80,000 barrels per day (bpd) in Yadavaran.  Later in 2009, CNPC signed a similar $2-billion deal with NIOC to produce 75,000 bpd of oil at North Azadegan.  

SS