MANAMA, 21 November 2007 — Bahrain’s oil production will be doubled to reach 70,000 barrels daily after the development of Bahrain field. International companies have offered bids for the project, the official news agency BNA quoted a senior government official said yesterday.
Minister of Oil and Gas Affairs and Head of the National Oil and Gas Authority Dr. Abdulhussain bin Ali Mirza said that the companies winning tenders would start work by the end of March next year and results might be known by mid-2008.
Referring to offshore oil explorations, he said a Thai company would drill its first oil well in mid-2008 while a US company would start drilling its first well in the beginning of 2009.
Mirza said the agreements signed to develop Bahrain field stipulated that the companies will bring oil production technology, train and employ Bahrainis and give priority to Bahraini companies to execute the projects while allotting contracts.