TEHRAN, Mar. 04 (MNA) – Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh has announced Total's takeover of Danish Maersk's oil division, adding development of the oil layer of South Pars gas field will not be easily assigned to Total.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an oil industry event in Tehran on Saturday evening, the official outlined the outcome of his recent visit to India with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and said "during the visit, we held talks with the Indians on production of oil and development of Farzad B gas field which progressed well. We agreed on general principles and, God willing, a consensus will be reached regarding the details," Iran Oil Ministry's official website SHANA reported.

In response to a question whether the development of the oil layers of South Pars gas field has been given to the Danish company of Maersk, the oil minister said that Maersk has been merged with French Total, adding “the development of South Pars oil reserves is not readily available to the Total.”

ِAccording to SHANA, Mr. Zangeneh also said that launch of an oil transit project between Iran and Iraq has not been put off.  

Asked about construction of the second section of TAPI pipeline project, he said "let's talk about the Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI) gas pipeline project once it is implemented."

In December, the managing director of Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC) said his company is planning to sign a deal with Denmark's Maersk for developing South Pars gas field's oil layer (SPOL).

Mohammad Meshkinfam said several companies are in talks with POGC for developing SPOL but the talks with Maersk have made good progress and a contract will be signed with the company in the coming months.

"We predict that the second deal for developing SPOL will be signed with Maersk under the newly-devised model of oil contracts," he said.

MNA/SHANA