GAZPROM NETHERLANDS B.V. and the Algerian State Oil and Gas Corporation (ASOGC) Sonatrach have signed an agreementfor the transfer of rights for hydrocarbon exploration and production in the onshore area El Assel located in the Berkine Basin of Algeria.

SUDAN HAS ANNOUNCED a new oilfield that will begin production in the Upper Nile state with a capacity of 50,000 bpd. The director of exploration at the Ministry of Energy and Mining, Azhari Abdullah, told reporters that the field, named Qamari, will be opened in March by Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.

CIRCLE HAS ANNOUNCED that the Al Amir SE-2X appraisal well has been drilled in the onshore North West Gemsa Concession in Egypt. Circle has confirmed a discovery in the Kareem Formation sandstones, with the well testing 41 degrees API oil and gas at sustained average rates of 5,785 bopd and 7.8 MMscfd using a 64/64" choke from the lower of two identified pay zones.

BG INTERNATIONAL OF the UK, US company, Anadarko Petroleum Corp., and Wintershall Holding AG's BASF SE of Germany are not planning to submit offers to develop Iraq's oil and gas fields announced in the first bidding round, an authorised oil ministry spokesman said.

IRAN AND CHINA have signed a US$1.76 billion deal for the initial development of Iran's North Azadegan oilfield, Iran's official IRNA news agency has reported. The deal was signed between the China National Petroleum Corp. and the National Iranian Oil Co.