Qatar Petroleum yesterday invited international oil and gas companies to compete to operate and develop its Al-Shaheen oilfield from mid-2017.
QP’s existing 25-year exploration and production-sharing agreement (EPSA) with Maersk Oil of Denmark expires in mid-2017.
“Maersk Oil is among the companies invited to compete for the future development and operation of Al-Shaheen Field,” QP said.  
Al-Shaheen oilfield, located 80km off the country’s shores, is one of the largest in the world and the largest producing field in Qatar. It currently produces around 300,000 bpd; and is operated by Maersk Oil Qatar under a 25-year exploration and development agreement put into effect in 1992.
QP’s president and CEO Saad Sherida al-Kaabi said, “The future operation and development of Al-Shaheen oilfield is of critical strategic importance to the optimum exploitation of the natural resources of Qatar. Therefore, the selection of our partner in this endeavour will be based on such partner’s ability to offer the best technological solutions for the field’s development combined with the best financial return to the State.”