Chinese companies win more bids to explore for Iraq oil and gas

Chinese companies won five more bids to explore Iraqi oil and gas fields, Iraq's oil minister said on Sunday, as the Middle Eastern country's hydrocarbon exploration licensing round continued into its second day.

Chinese companies have been the only foreign players to win bids so far, taking licenses covering 10 oil and gas fields since Saturday, while Iraqi Kurdish company KAR Group took two.

The oil and gas licences for 29 projects in total are mainly aimed at ramping up output for domestic use, with more than 20 companies pre-qualifying, including European, Chinese, Arab and Iraqi groups.