A consortium grouping Russia's private oil giant Lukoil and Norway's Statoil ASA on Sunday signed a final deal to develop one of Iraq's biggest oil fields, capping an auction process key to the OPEC nation's plans to boost output and generate sorely needed reconstruction revenues. The deal on West Qurna Phase 2 field in southern Iraq is the last of the 10 fields that Iraq awarded last year during two international licensing rounds as it looked to revamp an oil sector battered by years of sanctions, neglect and, most recently, postwar violence and political bickering.
The signing Sunday also offers some much needed political capital for Iraqi officials as they head into elections in March determined to show that they are actively turning the country around following the turmoil and instability that has defined Iraqis' daily lives since the 2003 U.S. led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein. "These contracts will bring in cash to Iraq, and move ahead plans to develop the infrastructure," said Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, adding that these deals afforded Iraqis the chance to "look toward a bright future."
Although it sits atop the world's third largest proven reserves of conventional crude, Iraq currently only produces about 2.5 million barrels per day, a level still far below its pre-2003 war output. Officials say international companies like Lukoi and Statoil, which together won West Qurna Phase 2 in the December licensing round, are key to raising that output to over 12 million barrels per day in about six years.
Such production, viewed by analysts as unrealistic in that timeframe, would rival Saudi Arabia's. The kingdom, seen as the de facto leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, currently produces over 8 million barrels per day, but has an overall output capacity in excess of 12 million barrels per day.
For the 15 international firms that won development rights in the various fields, the 20 year contracts were their first chance at access to Iraq since Saddam expelled foreign firms and nationalized the sector in the 1970s. Despite the tempting spoils, the auction results were mixed, with only 10 deals struck out of the 21 oil and gas fields offered during the two licensing rounds.....Read the entire article.
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