The US’ Fluor has been awarded a engineering, procurement, construction management (EPCM) contract for the early works programme at the West Qurna-1 field in southern Iraq for a consortium led by US oil major ExxonMobil.

The reimbursable continuing services agreement for oil field and related infrastructure development is expected to last three years, according to a 23 February company release.

Fluor did not disclose details on the detailed scope of the work or its value.

ExxonMobil and the UK-Dutch Shell Group signed a 20-year technical service agreement with Iraq’s Oil Ministry in January 2010. Current production at the 8.7-billion-barrel field is more than 270,000 barrels-a-day (b/d), and the partners plan to eventually boost output to 2.32 million b/d. The consortium will receive $1.90 for every barrel of oil it produces over an agreed minimum production level (MEED 5:11:09).