TEHRAN (MEHR - Trend )
A Total Company spokesman has said the company is in favor of continuing participation in Iran's South Pars gas field development project and is currently in talks with Iranian officials in this regard.
Paul Floren told IRNA in Paris that Total is still interested in activity in Iran's oil and gas sector.
Seyfollah Jashnsaz, head of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) previously said in March, "We are not happy with the work Total has done on Phase 11 in South Pars. Unfortunately, the company has wasted time and our national project has been delayed".
NIOC and China National Petroleum Corporation signed a 5-billion-dollar contract on June 3 for the development of the phase 11 of the South Pars gas field.
Jashnsaz accused Total of delays and said Iran had given it an ultimatum six months earlier to finalize work before Tehran moved forward with the Chinese partner.
Total first expanded into Iran in 1997 with a contract granted by Iranian authorities to develop Phases 2 & 3 of Iran's South Pars gas field.
Total and its two partners, Gazprom and Petronas, invested more than $2 billion in Phase 2 & 3 of South Pars which began operations at the end of 2002. Total later signed a memorandum of understanding with NIOC to develop Phase 11 of South Pars, but the investment stalled on negotiations over contract terms.