이란, 300억달러(약 35조원) 규모 유전·가스전 개발 프로젝트 외자 유치 추진 Iran offers flexible oil contracts to attract foreign investors(VIDEO

52개 원유·천연가스 프로젝트 제안

원유생산 능력, 

2020년까지 570만배럴로 두 배 이상 늘려

source ft.com

edited by kcontents 

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서방의 경제제재 해제를 앞둔 이란이 300억달러(약 35조원) 규모의 유전·가스전 개발 프로젝트를 위한 외자 유치에 본격적으로 나섰다. 이란은 외국 기업과의 합작투자를 통해 현재 하루 270만배럴 수준인 원유생산 능력을 오는 2020년까지 570만배럴로 두 배 이상 늘린다는 계획 아래 외국인 투자가들에게 52개의 원유·천연가스 프로젝트를 제안했다고 파이낸셜타임스(FT) 등 외신들이 28일(현지시간) 보도했다.  보도에 따르면 비잔 장게네 이란 석유장관은 이날 수도 테헤란에서 가진 투자 컨퍼런스에서 외국 자본과의 계약기간을 최장 25년까지 연장하고 투자기업들이 원유·가스 생산량에 따라 수익을 낼 수 있도록 하는 등 새로운 투자유치안을 제안했다. 장게네 장관은 블룸버그통신에 "프랑스의 토탈과 노르웨이 스타토일을 비롯해 유럽과 아시아의 여러 기업들이 유전·가스전 개발 프로젝트에 관심을 보이고 있다"면서 내년 3~4월께 글로벌 기업과 계약을 체결할 수 있을 것이라고 예상했다. 이란이 새롭게 제안한 IPC(Iran Petroleum Contract) 모델은 투자금 상한선을 없애고 투자 수익을 더 유연하게 보상받을 수 있는 등 기존 계약보다 한층 개선된 내용이다. 다만 외국 기업은 현지 기업과 합작 또는 기술이전 등을 조건으로 개발에 참여할 수 있으며 유전에 대한 지분은 인정되지 않는다. 이틀간 진행된 이번 컨퍼런스에는 영국 BP, 프랑스 토탈, 노르웨이 스타토일, 네덜란드 로열더치셸, 중국 시노펙 등 135개 석유 기업이 참가하는 등 글로벌 기업이 큰 관심을 보인 것으로 전해졌다. 한편 이란의 원유 개발 프로젝트가 원유 시장에 미칠 파장에 대한 우려도 커지고 있다. 서방 주요국과의 핵 합의 타결 이후 이르면 내년 초부터 이란에 대한 경제제재가 풀리면 이란은 그동안 잃어버린 원유 시장에서의 지위를 되찾기 위해 사우디아라비아와 점유율 경쟁에 본격 나설 것으로 예상되기 때문이다. 이란은 천연가스 매장량은 세계 1위, 원유 매장량에서는 세계 4위를 자랑하지만 그동안 서방 국가의 경제제재로 원유 수출에 제한을 받아왔다. 이와 관련, 아미르 자마니니아 이란 석유부 차관은 "이란의 증산은 석유수출국기구(OPEC)의 공식 산유 쿼터인 하루 3,000만배럴에 영향을 미치지 않는 수준에서 이뤄질 것"이라며 "이란의 원유 수출 재개가 원유 시장에 미칠 파장을 크지 않을 것"이라고 설명했다. 서울경제 홍병문기자 hbm@sed.co.kr

Iran offers flexible oil contracts to attract foreign investors

Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran

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Iran has revealed a new model of oil and gas contracts to lure back international oil companies, offering more flexible terms on price fluctuations and investment risks to make the sector financially attractive to foreign investors.

Details of the new contract framework were unveiled during a two-day conference in Iran attended by oil executives from European and Asian companies including Total, Statoil, BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Repsol, Sinopec as well as companies from India, Pakistan and Oman. An energy adviser from the UK government was also present, according to a western diplomat.

The Iran Petroleum Contract puts an end to a two-decade old buyback system that prevented foreign companies from booking reserves or taking equity stakes in Iranian companies. Under some circumstances, the new model allows reserves to be booked, but foreign companies would still not own oilfields.

The National Iranian Oil Company will have exclusive ownership rights over resources.

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“We do not claim that this is an ideal and flawless scheme but it can address the needs of both National Iranian Oil Company and international oil companies,” said Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, Iran’s oil minister.

Oil companies welcomed the new contract but said the devil remained in the detail. Some aspects of the new framework — such as allowing companies to book reserves — were about catching up with practices already adopted elsewhere as many countries in the region seek foreign investment.

“Most of the Middle East has already taken that step,” said one western oil executive. “They are moving in the right direction. But it is still to early to say whether it is enough.”

Reserves are used by investors as a tool to judge the value of oil companies.

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Another western oil official said the contract seemed “well-studied” and “the homework was well done”. But he added that it did not clarify whether disputes could be referred to international arbitration.

The Islamic republic, which has the world’s largest gas reserves and fourth-biggest oil reserves, plans to increase its oil production capacity to about 5m barrels a day by the end of the decade from about 1mb/d since sanctions were introduced in 2012.

The new model, some details of which have been disclosed over the past year, is supposed to increase foreign companies’ profits by basing the fee on the risk of the fields, allowing contracts to last for up to 25 years and putting no ceiling on capital expenditure.

The IPC, according to Iranian officials, is a risk service contract by which the Iranian and foreign contractors will bear the risks of the operation. However, a reward system envisaged would entitle contractors to a fee per barrel that would be paid as profit to the company and contractors will also be entitled to an increase in profits in face of dramatic oil price fluctuations.

The buyback scheme proved hugely unpopular with multinationals and deterred investors even before US and EU sanctions over Iran’s nuclear programme were tightened in 2012.

Some representatives of international companies said they had to assess the details more precisely.

The long-awaited conference has been overshadowed by uncertainty over how international banks will react to the implementation of July’s landmark nuclear agreement with world powers. It is not yet clear whether US sanctions will affect major businesses with interests in the US when international restrictions are lifted early next year.

“Banks have openly told us that they will be the last to enter Iran’s market,” said a western oil executive at the conference. “Our problems are about returns and being able to operate.”

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The absence of US companies or their subsidiaries at the conference is a reminder of the continuation of US restrictions as well as opposition inside Iran to alleged US “infiltration” — a new term used by hardliners opposed to opening up the country after the nuclear deal.

“We did not oppose their presence. They can come and use this opportunity,” Mr Zanganeh said of US companies, adding that he had not heard of any opposition.

When asked if American companies would attend a future conference, possibly in London in February, he said: “I hope so.”

Iranian oil executives confirmed to the Financial Times that holding this week’s conference in Tehran, rather than in London, was a response to domestic political infighting.

“As you see there are no American companies here now and it does not make sense for such a conference not to have Americans,” said an oil ministry official.

Iranian officials at the conference reminded international companies of the importance of domestic participation in joint ventures in almost all future projects under the IPC — in a clear move to allay concerns in Iran about foreign exploitation of the country’s natural resources.

“This is supposed to be a conference to lure international companies but the minister highlights ‘resistance economy’ and how Iranian companies should be strengthened,” said an Iranian oil businessman. “Domestic pressure on the oil ministry and continuation of hostility towards the US are creating obstacles.”

Iran is expected to initiate about 50 oil and gas projects at the Tehran conference but it is not clear when the companies will be able to bid or start direct negotiations.

Additional reporting by Peggy Hollinger in London

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/b2f6bf58-95b2-11e5-95c7-d47aa298f769.html#axzz3sxRVd1L3

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