Exxon dropped from Iraq rights bidders: oil ministry

U.S. energy giant Exxon Mobil has been excluded from the finalized list of 47 pre-qualified bidders for the next round of Iraq energy exploration rights, a statement posted on the oil ministry website showed on Thursday.

Exxon, which still figured on the list in early February, has since been removed while Indonesia’s Pertamina and a Syrian oil company have been added.

Iraq's oil minister Abdul Kareem Luaibi said on April 9 that Baghdad was still studying whether to allow Exxon Mobil to take part in a fourth oil bidding round due to a dispute over contracts it signed with Iraqi Kurdistan.

The auctions are to be held May 30-31, the oil ministry said.