UPDATE: Official: 6 Russian oil firms sign preliminary deals with Iran

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MOSCOW, Nov 10 (PRIME) -- Russian oil and gas producers Lukoil, Zarubezhneft, Rosneft, Tatneft, Gazprom and Gazprom Neft have signed preliminary agreements on joint works with Iranian companies, Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Amir-Hossein Zamani-Nia said at the Russian–Iranian energy forum on Thursday.

Deputy Energy Minister Kirill Molodtsov said that the Russian companies are interested in development of oil and gas both on the Iranian land and shelf. “Russian companies, such as Rosneft, such as Gazprom Neft, Zarubezhneft, Gazprom, Lukoil, are expressing undeniable interest in a contract for exploration and development in the Republic of Iran, announced as early as last year.”

The Russian ministry expects that Tehran will present the conditions of new contracts exclusively to Russian companies, as agreed upon between the authorities earlier, Molodtsov said.

Zamani-Nia said that Iran is prequalifying international companies and looking forward to a proactive approach from Russian producers. “There is a shortlisting now, an issuance of prequalification to international companies… We are impatiently waiting for proactive steps from Russian companies so they follow the example by their foreign colleagues.”

Molodtsov said that Moscow and Tehran are not discussing oil and gas swap deals so far.

The ministry expects that a Russian–Iranian commission will discuss energy cooperation in detail in mid-December, Molodtsov said.

“Today’s event… is first of all preparation to the intergovernmental commission’s meeting to take place within a month, scheduled for December 10–20 in Tehran with a goal of a detailed and all-encompassing study and alignment of positions of state and business representatives,” he said.

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