Tehran, Iran, March 11
By Mehdi Sepahvand –- Trend:
Although Iran considers British Petroleum indispensable to its oil industry, a major oil tender the country is putting up shows no trace of the giant company.
Iran has already wrapped up one submission deadline for applying in the tender, without BP in the list of applicants. The second submission process which is currently underway also fares without BP, ISNA news agency reported March 11.
In the meantime, Deputy Oil Minister Amir Hossein Zamaninia said companies will not be included in the tender if they do not submit their documents as required by Tehran.
29 international companies were recognized eligible after the first round of submissions. In the second round more companies have made submissions, including Russian and Japanese companies.
Karim Zobeidi, director of combined programming at the National Iranian Oil Company, has said although BP has not submitted any documents, the company is continuing a series of negotiations with Iran.
“BP is a big company and not easily dispensable. However, tenders have got their own rules as well,” the official said.