Royal Dutch Shell has approached the Iraqi oil ministry to explore options for a contract to help the country double output at a field in the south, oil officials said.
Since last year the Anglo-Dutch major has been working on technical studies on the Maysan oil field in the south and the large Kirkuk field in the north, as well as helping draw up a natural gas master plan, officials said, adding that BP is carrying out a study of the Rumeila oil fields in the south.
"Shell is eyeing a service contract to carry out oil field development in Iraq," said one ministry official.
Shell's targeting of the Maysan field, officials said, puts the company ahead of its peers when it comes to development activity in Iraq.