The Oil Ministry has invited companies to bid by 29 July for the contract to provide reservoir management studies for the giant Rumaila and Kirkuk oil fields. The project, which is the first in a programme of reservoir management surveys planned, is intended to help maximise output and identify key project requirements in both areas. The fields, which include Rumaila north and south, have a combined production capacity of 1.9 million barrels a day (b/d). Iraq's present output stands at about 2.5 million b/d.