A number of European companies are bidding for the development of South Azadegan oilfield in Iran, a report said.

European bidders for the project include Total (France), Shell (UK/Hollande), Eni (Italy), Wintershall (Germany), Rosneft (Russia), OMV (Austria) and Maersk (Denmark), Nouroddin Shahnazizadeh, managing director of the Petroleum Development and Engineering Company of Iran, was quoted as saying by Iran Daily, which cited Press TV.

He added that several Asian companies including CNPC and Sinopec (China), ONGC (India), Pertamina (Indonesia), Petronas (Malaysia) and PTTP (Thailand) are also to take part in a tender on South Azadegan.

Shahnazizadeh did not indicate when the tender on South Azadegan would be held.

South Azadegan is believed to hold an in-place oil reserve of about 33.2 billion barrels while its recoverable resources estimated at about 5.2 billion barrels, the report said.