Iraq is planning a fourth round of bidding for international energy firms interested in gas exploration contracts.
Iraq will 'initially' offer 12 exploration blocs, Oil Minister Abdul Kareem Luaibi told reporters.
Luaibi did not give further details, but Abdul-Mahdy al-Ameedi, head of the ministry's licensing and contracting office, told Reuters that it will be only for gas blocs as Iraq does not need to auction more oilfields following two oil bidding rounds in 2009.
Iraq already has agreements with major oil companies to develop some of its largest oilfields and boost its crude output potential to 12 million bpd in six to seven years.
Last year's oil production reached record high in Iraq for the first time in 20 years. This was achieved through Iraq's national effort and the work of the international oil companies, Luaibi said.
Iraq has world's fourth largest oil reserves, but tight times and wars prevented the country from giving best outputs.
Oil exports in December rose to 1.95 million bpd, from 1.912 million bpd in November, the oil minister said, adding he expected exports for January to exceed 2 million bpd due to surplus of crude at storage from last month, Reuters reported.
Iraq will 'initially' offer 12 exploration blocs, Oil Minister Abdul Kareem Luaibi told reporters.
Luaibi did not give further details, but Abdul-Mahdy al-Ameedi, head of the ministry's licensing and contracting office, told Reuters that it will be only for gas blocs as Iraq does not need to auction more oilfields following two oil bidding rounds in 2009.
Iraq already has agreements with major oil companies to develop some of its largest oilfields and boost its crude output potential to 12 million bpd in six to seven years.
Last year's oil production reached record high in Iraq for the first time in 20 years. This was achieved through Iraq's national effort and the work of the international oil companies, Luaibi said.
Iraq has world's fourth largest oil reserves, but tight times and wars prevented the country from giving best outputs.
Oil exports in December rose to 1.95 million bpd, from 1.912 million bpd in November, the oil minister said, adding he expected exports for January to exceed 2 million bpd due to surplus of crude at storage from last month, Reuters reported.
