TEHRAN (Dispatches) - Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak says his country's oil companies could sign contracts by March 21 to work on Iranian oilfields.
More than 10 different fields have been presented to Gazprom, Rosneft, Gazprom Neft, Zarubezhneft, Taftneft and Lukoil for development, Novak said.
"These companies made fairly good progress in negotiations. Our Iranian colleagues confirmed that specific contracts may be signed shortly,” Tass news agency quoted him as saying.
Novak said Russian companies were open to partnership with other foreign entities to carry out oil projects in Iran – something which Iranian officials have been encouraging as a way to guard against possible sanctions.
"I think such options are also possible. Everything will depend on a specific agreement," Novak said.
The three companies must form a consortium to solicit the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for the contract to produce 30,000 barrels per day (bdp) of crude oil from the Susangerd field which is located 45 km from Ahvaz.
Novak’s announcement came after NIOC Managing Director Ali Kardor said Saturday that Iran would sign three oil deals before the end of the current Persian year this month which will include operation of the fields for 20 years.
Russian companies have signed a record number of initial oil and gas contracts with Iran since the lifting of sanctions on the Islamic Republic in early 2016.
Novak said Tuesday Iran was also ready to supply crude oil to Russia but that would depend on future agreements with the buyers of the oil.
Iranian and Russian officials have announced several times the imminent beginning of Iran’s crude oil exports to Russia under an oil-for-goods barter scheme but it has never come through.
The arrangement dates back to 2014 under which Moscow would buy up to 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian oil in exchange for Russian equipment and goods. It calls for swapping around 300,000 bpd via the Caspian Sea and the rest from the Persian Gulf.
For now, the two sides are considering shipping 100,000 bpd of Iranian oil to Russia, with supplies being "either physical or swap-based,” Novak has said.
Kardor said in October that Iran was about to receive 50% of payment in euros and the rest in goods and services.