Mohammad Hassan Mirzaei told Petroenergy Information Network that the company is reviewing three of those documents right now and will avail of foreign contractors to implement the project.

He said the company should buy the documents until June 10, 2007 and will buy them in cooperation with foreign partners.

The official noted that Petropars has not been previously active with regard to exploration and, for this reason, is to avail of the experiences of foreign companies.

Deputy director of exploration blocks and foreign partnerships of National Iranian Oil Company announced last week that 18 companies are ready to take part in exploration and development of 17 blocks and said that 72 information packages have been bought.

Hossein Roshandel said foreign and domestic companies have been enthusiastic about purchasing tender documents, which have been bought by Asian, European and Canadian companies.

Total area of 17 blocks that have been offered for exploration amounts to 128,980 square kilometers and include Ilam, Danan, Fassa, Bandar Abbas, Qouchan, Kalat, Raz, Maraveh Tappeh, Moghan 1 and 2, and Naft Shahr blocks. Offshore blocks also include Alvand, Dayyer, Laleh, Ferdowsi, and Taban blocks in Persian Gulf.

The least amount of investment in exploration operations of the said blocks has been estimated at 450 million euros and the figure may rise after the results of exploration operations are made known.

The blocks are located in Razavi Khorasan, Northern Khorasan, Semnan, Ardebil, East Azarbaijan, Golestan, Ilam, Kermanshah, Fars, and Hormuzgan provinces.