Pool narrows for Petroperu's Talara refinery rehab

LIMA, May 12 (Reuters) - Peru's state-owned energy company Petroperu said on Monday it has approved 11 companies to continue on in the bidding process for a $1 billion contract to modernize its Talara oil refinery in northern Peru.

Among the firms that were chosen to continue are: Samsung Engineering (028050.KS: Quote, Profile, Research), GS Engineering and Construction Corp (006360.KS: Quote, Profile, Research), a consortium consisting of JGC Corp (1963.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and Marubeni (8002.T: Quote, Profile, Research), among others.

"Twenty consortiums presented and of those, we now have 11," Cesar Gutierrez, president of Petroperu, told Reuters.

He said he hopes the whole process will be completed by the end of July, or early August at the latest.

Petroperu refines, transports and sells petroleum and gas.

Peru, a net oil importer hopes to become a net exporter by 2010. Its government is actively encouraging energy investment. (Reporting by Maria Luisa Palomino; Writing by Dana Ford; Editing by Christian Wiessner)