Germany’s Wintershall says it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran for cooperation in the oil sector.
Stefan Leunig, the head of media relations in Wintershall, has been quoted by the media as saying that the MoU was signed with Iran in April.
Nevertheless, Leunig emphasized that the details of the MoU are subject to confidentiality.
“Wintershall has been active in the Middle East for years. We are therefore closely following the developments in the region, also in Iran,” Azerbaijan’s Trend news agency has quoted Leunig as saying.
The official further added that the company, a subsidiary of German chemical major BASF, strictly follows all national and international legal regulations.
Earlier Ali Kardor, Iran’s deputy oil minister, said that Tehran has signed seven non-disclosure agreements (NDA) with international oil companies, including Wintershall.
Under the agreements the companies will undertake studies in Iran’s oil fields and will submit the study results to Iran, Kardor added.
Kardor, who heads the NIOC said that there will be no commitment for Iran to assign the field’s development to the company which had carried out the preliminary surveys on the field.
Iran’s media previously said that Wintershall and the NIOC have signed a deal for cooperation in research and development (R&D). Under the MOU, the German company will study four oil fields in western parts of Iran.
A subsidiary of BASF, Wintershall is Germany’s largest internationally active crude oil and natural gas producer.
It explores and produces oil and gas in Europe, North Africa, South America, Russia, and the Middle East.
It has been active for over 85 years and has a workforce in excess of about 2,000 employees from more than 40 nationalities.
