TPAO talks up Iraq hopes
Wire services
State-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) is in talks with a number of
companies over possible cooperation on large-scale oil exploration in Iraq,
general manager Mehmet Uysal said today.
Uysal also told Reuters he saw a high chance for TPAO to be listed for
exploration in Iraq's medium-sized oilfields.
Turkey has lost out in a round of deals recently in Iraq, prompting Ankara to
step up its efforts to take part in projects in its energy-rich southern
neighbour.
TPAO was excluded in a list of 35 players given licences by Baghdad last week
for oil exploration.
"There are a few companies which we have talked and planned co-operation from
the beginning among those 35 (companies). If one of these wins an oil
exploration contract in Iraq, we can work together with them in Iraq," Uysal
told the news agency.
TPAO is still expecting to be invited for oil search in medium-sized oilfields.
"We expect to be invited and this is highly likely," he said, adding that
political tensions between the two countries affected Baghdad's decision to
exclude TPAO from energy deals.
Turkey's military carried out a major cross-border ground offensive against
Kurdish separatist guerrillas based in northern Iraq in February, dismissing
protests from Iraq.
Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said last week that the government had applied to
the Iraqi government to include TPAO in a list of companies with licence to
search oil in Iraq, and talks have started.
21 April 2008 09:06 GMT
| last updated:
21 April 2008 09:06 GMT
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