The US government is supporting Iraq's plan to transfer Lukoil's stake in the West Qurna-2 oil field to an American company, Bloomberg reported, citing a US State Department spokesperson.
The West Qurna-2 field accounts for about 10% of Iraq's oil production. According to the report, last week, the Iraqi Oil Ministry approached American companies with a proposal to buy a controlling stake in the field.
The ministry did not specify which companies are involved. However, Bloomberg reported that American companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp., have expressed interest in acquiring Lukoil's assets. According to an anonymous source, Iraq would prefer Exxon in this case, since it previously developed the neighboring West Qurna-1 field.
Earlier, on December 2, Reuters, citing five unnamed Iraqi sources, reported that Exxon is in talks to buy Lukoil's assets in the West Qurna-2 field. Lukoil owns 75% of the field, and the Northern Oil Company of Iraq owns the remaining 25%.
