Indonesia readies Iraq oil exploration deal

[Gloria]

Radio Australia has some interesting news that we often don't get here...I heard this little item today....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200505/s1375182.htm


Last Update: Monday, May 23, 2005. 8:00pm (AEST)
Indonesia readies Iraq oil exploration deal

Indonesia's state energy company Pertamina is close to a deal with the Iraqi Government to develop three blocks in the violence-ravaged country, state media has reported.

The Iraqi Government is expected to endorse the contract in the next one or two months, Pertamina's upstream industry deputy director Kun Kurnaely was quoted as saying by the state Antara news agency.

He said this month Pertamina sent a five-member team of experts to Iraq as part of its preparations to operate in the conflict-ridden country, including in the Western Desert field.

snip

The Western Desert field, about 161 kilometres south of Baghdad, holds about three million barrels of oil.

In March, Iraq and Indonesia signed an agreement on cooperation in oil and gas exploration.

The agreement called for Pertamina to drill for oil and gas in a 10,000-square-kilometre block on the Western Desert.

-AFP