The Norwegian state-owned oil company Statoil has signed a co-operation agreement with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), the electronic edition of the Norwegian newspaper Stavanger Aftenbladet reported on Tuesday.
The co-operation agreement concerns four projects: exploration near the Strait of Hormuz, technology related to the liquefaction of gas, optimal use of productive capacity, and possible participation by Statoil in exploration of the Salman oil field.
In the long term Iran could become one of the core geographical areas for Statoil, said the report, which comes as Norwegian Oil Minister Olaf Akselsen is making a visit to Tehran.
Akselsen and Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, who met Tuesday, called for greater joint investment and cooperation in the energy sector, Iranian state radio said.
Norway's Saga has reportedly inked a major exploration deal in Iran's resource-rich western province of Ilam, which holds 11 and 2.5 percent respectively of the Islamic republic's gas and oil reserves.
Iran has the second-biggest oil reserves in the world and Norway is the second-biggest exporter of crude oil.—AFP.
©--Agence France Presse.
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
