Turkey forms 3 consortiums for Iraq oil tenders

* Turkey eyeing all big oilfield deals

* Iraq restricts bidding to only large oil firms

By Orhan Coskun

ANKARA, May 15 (Reuters) - Turkey has formed three consortiums with an eye to bid for oil exploration rights for nearly all big oilfields in Iraq at the end of June, the head of Turkey's state-owned oil firm TPAO said on Friday.

TPAO General Manager Mehmet Uysal also said TPAO would plan on bidding in Iraq oil tenders alone if the possibility were given to small companies in the tender process.

Oil-revenue dependent Iraq has given oil companies a chance to bid for the rights to explore some of its larger oilfields, but currently only large oil firms can participate in the exploration tenders due at the end of June.

Uysal did not say what companies they would be working with in consortium.

"We've formed three consortia for exploration tenders in Iraq. Talks are continuing with two others. We are working on bids for nearly all the large oilfields at the end of June," Uysal said in an interview with Reuters.

He also said that net energy importer Turkey had ended its farming out period for exploration rights in the Black Sea, but that more partnerships could be formed for exploration in the region if a very attractive offer came.

Uysal said on Thursday talks with Chevron had stalled after failure to agree on several issues in the deal.

Exxon and Petrobras are continuing work on exploration in the Black Sea.

He also said production in the Black Sea would start in 2017-2018 after a three-year drilling period, later than an earlier estimate of 2015-2016.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Heritage Oil agrees to $3-billion merger (thestar.com)
• Contractor KBR eyes Iraq oil opportunities (telegraph.co.uk)
• Chinese Oil Giant Makes Offer for Rival (nytimes.com)