Iraq restarts dialogue with Big Oil firms as June deadline looms…

Iraqi and oil company officials are holding talks to boost production in key oil fields, with deals expected next month, Hassan Hafidh reports for Dow Jones Newswires. Shell, BP, ExxonMovil, Chevron, Total, BHP Billiton and Anadarko are in talks which will end May 9, with a final round in June. There are six fields, not five, being looked at for technical support contracts worth $3 billion total, aimed at increasing production by 100,000 barrels per day each in two years, Hafidh reports: Kirkuk (Shell), Rumaila (BP), West Qurna 1 (Chevron/Total), Zubair (Exxon), Missan (Shell/BHP) and Subba/Luhais (Anadarko-led consortium including Vitol and Dome).

Iraq's Oil Ministry has expressed concern recently that the negotiations are taking too long.