Posted on 12/09/2007 3:45:50 AM PST by familyop
TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran and China's Sinopec could, as early as Sunday, sign a long-awaited final multi-billion-dollar agreement for the development of the Yadavaran onshore oilfield, the Iranian oil minister said.
"Iran could probably sign a contract this evening with China's Sinopec to develop Yadavaran," Gholam Hossein Nozari told reporters on the sidelines of an oil conference.
"If not today, it will be in two weeks' time. We are still in talks," the oil minister said.
In late October 2004, Iran and Sinopec inked an initial agreement to develop Yadavaran in southwestern Iran, which is estimated to hold more than three billion barrels of recoverable crude.
Based on that memorandum of understanding, China was to have a 51-percent share in the project. But Nozari refused to disclose the final financial details.
The agreement also involves China's purchase of an annual 10 million tons of Iranian liquefied natural gas for 25 years, beginning in 2009.
Iran and China have significant economic ties and Beijing is the second largest importer of Iranian goods after Japan.
China is a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council and has until now been reluctant to support fully a US-led drive to impose a third set of UN sanctions against Tehran because of its nuclear programme.
The United States has been pressuring European and Asian countries to cut their business ties with Iran as another lever to exert pressure on the Islamic republic in the atomic standoff.
The Iran-China talks had been long held up by disagreements on the terms of the Yadavaran deal, most notably involving the rate of return proposed by Sinopec.
Nozari said earlier this year that Iran sought a lower rate of return in the investment to be made by China, which had asked for 15 percent.
If sealed based on the initial agreement, the deal would mark one of the biggest foreign contracts ever for Iran, which holds the world's second-largest oil and gas reserves and is seeking development of its oil fields.
Tehran has warned it will start major oil and gas projects without foreign investment if international firms do not speed up the completion of negotiations in projects for which agreements were signed a few years ago.
Iran has already started work to exploit certain wells at the Yadavaran and Azadegan oil fields before major international deals are signed, in a bid to retain its position as the OPEC number-two oil exporter.
The country's economy is also heavily dependent on oil money which accounts for more than 70 percent of government income.
“In late October 2004, Iran and Sinopec inked an initial agreement to develop Yadavaran in southwestern Iran, which is estimated to hold more than three billion barrels of recoverable crude.”
One good thing about the possibility of a Clinton presidency. She will give the same deal to the Chinsese for ANWR.
Another example of why the Neo Isolationists doctrine of the “realists” simply doesn’t work in the real world.
The joke’s on China. Iran isn’t taking US Dollars anymore. China has all of our money and can’t dump it there.
I’m sure they’ll make an exception this time. Anything to stick it to us.
One good thing about the possibility of a Clinton presidency. She will give the same deal to the Chinsese for ANWR.Although such a deal would be better for the Chinese than it would be for the US, by a ratio of 51 to 49, that won't be enough to persuade Clinton to sign. Anything that's good for America -- even something slightly good for America -- Clinton will oppose with all her heart and soul (which I mean metaphorically, of course, since she has no heart, and has no soul, being pure hell-spawn).
“Boy aren’t you so glad our Democrat control Congress is blocking us from developing our own energy supplies so our economy for years and years in the future can be held hostage by China puppet states like Iran?”
WOuld be funny if the American people came up with a class action against the environmental lobby and sued them to allow exploration in ANWR.
Wonder what a court would do with 20 million signatures.
“Another example of why the Neo Isolationists doctrine of the “realists” simply doesn’t work in the real world.”
Problem is that globalists are very weak on national security and soverignity.
“Would be funny if the American people came up with a class action against the environmental lobby and sued them to allow exploration in ANWR.
Wonder what a court would do with 20 million signatures.”
I think the mere filing of such a suit would rock the Enviro-whacko world. They would have to concentrate their resources on fighting lawsuits...instead of fighting America.
That is a GREAT idea!
Our currency is dying. We've been killing it for the last 75 years or so.
“That is a GREAT idea!”
Want to help me coordinate it? In an election year I wonder what would happen? Oil prices are high, we are relying on “dirty” mideast oil.
We could change things.
keep your powder dry, patriots.
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