Iraq opens tender for two deep exploration wells

By Ahmed Rasheed

BAGHDAD, June 16 (Reuters) - Iraq has opened a tender to drill two deep exploration wells at large oilfields in the south of the country, Iraq's Oil Exploration Co. said on Monday.

The state-run company published a notice on its website and in Iraq's official al-Sabah newspaper inviting bids to drill two wells in the South Rumaila and Luhais oilfields around Basra.

"The contractor is to supply a heavy capacity drilling rig with all the requirements and tools to complete these two wells," the notice said.

The expected total depth of the wells is 6,500 metres, it said. The company set July 27 as the closing date for offers.

Iraq is seeking to increase its oil production in order to raise badly-needed funds for reconstruction after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Iraq boosted oil exports to a post-war high of more than 2 million barrels per day in May. Officials attributed this to improved security along northern pipelines and increased production in both its southern and northern fields.

Iraqi oilfields are pumping more than 2.5 million bpd, Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani told Reuters in an interview this month. (Editing by Tim Cocks)