MOC has also re-launched a second tender on April 26, 2009, first offered in March 2009, to explore another 30 wells, 10 each at the Halfaya, Noor and Abu Ghirab oil fields, all situated in Missan governorate.
The oil ministry has fixed May 15, 2009 as the closing date for receiving offers for both tenders.
The two tenders are part of a crush plan recently adopted by the Iraqi government to raise the country’s production by 500,000 barrels a day within two years.
The super giant Halfaya field, one of Iraq’s prized oil fields, has proven crude oil reserves of 5 billion barrels, while Amarah, Abu Ghirab, Noor and Fauqi are smaller, with each field containing around 1.5 billion barrels in reserves.
MOC re-launched tender calling foreign companies to construct a 50,000 barrel a day production facility at the untapped Halfaya field.
Halfaya and Abu Ghirab are among the fields offered for development by the Iraqi oil ministry last year in its second bidding round.
Iraq is urgently looking to increase production and renew an industry that has been shackled by years of war, sanctions, underinvestment and violence.
