Gulfsands Petroleum looks to Iraq Houston, US conpany Gulfsands Petroleum looks to Iraq Gulfsands, who are a small Houston based outfit with three employees founded by John Dorrier in 1997, are hoping to use a recent oil exploration deal in Syria as a springboard to jump the queue of companies hoping to attract contracts once the new oil authorities in Iraq complete their plans on how to develop the countrys oil reserves. In May Gulfsands and its partner Devon Petroleum signed a contract to drill at least four wells in Syrias Suwaidiyah field which extends over the border in to Iraq. They expect to spend US$17mm looking for oil and gas there.