Iraqi oil minister asks BP to develop Kirkuk oilfields, oil ministry says

Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi has asked BP ''to quickly make plans to develop the Kirkuk oifields,'' an oil ministry statement said on Wednesday.

Iraqi government forces on Monday took control of the oil-rich region of Kirkuk from Peshmerga forces.

BP says on its website it has provided technical assistance in the past to the Iraqi state-owned North Oil Company to aid the redevelopment of the Kirkuk field.

Kirkuk is estimated to have around 9 billion barrels of recoverable oil remaining, according to BP.