UPDATE: Official: Russia’s Lukoil considers development of 2 Iran fields

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MOSCOW, Aug 12 (PRIME) -- Russian oil company Lukoil is considering development of two deposits near the Iranian city of Ihvaz, ambassador to Iran Levan Dzhagaryan told PRIME on Friday.

The official said that Lukoil CEO Vagit Alekperov visited Iran in September 2015 and held successful negotiations with Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh.

“I hope that this dialogue will continue. Talking about concrete projects, the possibility of participation of the Russian company in the two deposits near the city of Ahvaz is discussed,” Dzhagaryan said.

Alekperov said in June that he will go to Iran in September to announce his position regarding the Iranian oil deposits development. The company is also interested in trade in Iran, he said then.

Dzhagaryan also said that Russia’s Gazprom and the oil branch Gazprom Neft are discussing cooperation memoranda on deposits in Iran with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC).

Russia does not rule out establishment of a consortium to develop the Iranian deposits, the official said.

CEO of oil major Rosneft Igor Sechin visited Iran in April, and agreed with Zanganeh to draw up a list of promising projects and work on it later at an expert level, the ambassador said.

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