Iraq: Shahristani vows to go ahead with oil service contractsnote

Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein Al-Shahristani appeared before the Iraqi Parliament’s Oil and Gas Committee on June 23, 2009 to discuss his Ministry’s plans to award a first round of oil service contracts later this month. The following 419-word report focuses on the subject and tells how Al-Shahristani defended his plans and how he defended some oil companies, including Total, Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell and Lukoil.