Tehran, Iran, Jan. 10
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
Iran has been in talks with 18 foreign companies for carrying out exploratory and development operations in the country oil fields.
Managing Director of the National Iranian Oil Company's (NIOC) Exploration Department Hormoz Qalavand said that two of the mentioned companies are Asian and rest are European, Iran's Mehr News Agency reported on Jan 10.
"The oil ministry has revised the contracts in order to make them more interesting for foreign investors," he explained.
The official further assured the investors that they will gain considerable profit by investing in Iranian projects.
Qalavand said on Dec. 30 that Iran has signed a contract with a European company for carrying out exploratory operations in its salt domes.
"The operation will be done with European firm's technology," he said.
Qalavand, however, refused to disclose the name of the company.
"Iran has never carried out any exploratory operation in salt domes," he said.
The international sanctions imposed on Iran forced many international companies to withdraw from the country's oil and gas projects.
Iran is currently in talks with giant European oil and gas firms including Italy's Eni, Russia's Lukoil, and British Petroleum. The international companies are reportedly ready to invest in Iran's oil and gas projects as soon as the sanctions are lifted.
Iran and P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council comprising of China, France, Russia, Britain, the US Plus Germany) sealed an interim deal in Geneva on November 24,2013 to pave the way for the full resolution of the West's decade-old dispute with Iran over the country's nuclear energy program.
The Geneva deal took effect on January 20 and expired on July 20.
However the two sides agreed to extend their talks for four months till Nov. 24 to reach a permanent deal on Iran's disputed nuclear program.
At a meeting held on November 24, 2014, the sides agreed to extend the talks for further seven months.