Reuters: Malaysia's state-owned oil company Petronas [PETR.UL] is not a partner in multi-billion dollar gas deals signed this week between a Malaysian company and the Iranian government, a top company official said on Wednesday.
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Reuters) – Malaysia's state-owned oil company Petronas [PETR.UL] is not a partner in multi-billion dollar gas deals signed this week between a Malaysian company and the Iranian government, a top company official said on Wednesday.
"We are not aware of what it is all about; all I know is what I read in the media. I can confirm that it has nothing to do with Petronas," Petronas chief executive officer Hassan Marican told reporters.
Iran's state television reported on Tuesday that the country had signed gas deals worth $14 billion with Malaysia.
The deals involved a project to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the development of two gas fields, state television said.
The ISNA news agency said the deals were signed on Monday with Malaysia's SKS group, a private entity linked to Malaysian billionaire Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary.
It was not clear if the deals were related to an agreement signed in 2007, the news agency said.
SKS in December last year struck a $16 billion gas development contract with Iran, which boasts the world's second largest gas reserves after Russia.
Under the 2007 deal, SKS will team up with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) to develop the southern Golshan and Ferdows gas fields and build plants to produce LNG.
Separately, Hassan said Petronas has not yet finalised its investment in a LNG project in Iran.
"We have not finalised that, there is no further update on the LNG project," said Hassan.
In July, Petronas said it could not come to a final decision on its investment in Iran's Pars LNG project due to rising costs and because it had not finalised its discussion with the Iranians. (Reporting by Soo Ai Peng; Editing by Kim Coghill)
