Venezuela: Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez
Venezuela to open Orinoco licensing bid
Venezuela will a unveil a licensing round for several oil blocks in the country's Orinoco region next week, Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez has announced.
"This coming week we will open up the licensing round with the interested companies," Ramirez said.
He was referring to three oil blocks in the Carabobo field, in the oil-rich Orinoco basin.
Ramirez said a number of oil companies have shown interest, but he would not say which ones, said Dow Jones Newswires.
Both Ramirez and President Hugo Chavez have insisted that they will carry on plans to diversify the country's partners to include companies from Russia and Asia as well as nations in Latin America.