Today this year’s first group of Iraqi experts has arrived to Volgograd and Kogalym (Khanty-Mansy Autonomous Area) for internship at LUKOIL-Nizhnevolzhskneft and LUKOIL-West Siberia.

The internship is based on the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation, signed in March 2004 in Baghdad between LUKOIL President Vagit Alekperov and Iraqi Oil Minister Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum.

In accordance with the Memorandum, LUKOIL will provide internship for Iraqi oilmen at the Company training centers and production facilities. 100 people were trained last year. 150 Iraqis will be sent for internship at LUKOIL this year and the next four years.

The one-month internship program provides for theoretical and practical training for power engineers, oil and gas production engineers, oilfield and power equipment maintenance technicians, water separation and desalting unit operators. Western Siberia (Kogalym, Langepas, Uray, Pokachi) will host 52 interns, 30 people will stay in Volgograd Region (Kotovsky District).

The interns are representatives of Iraqi oil and gas and service companies: South Oil, South Gas, North Oil, North Gas, Oil Projects, Iraqi Drilling, Oil Pipeline, Oil Products Distribution, Oil Exploration, Gas Filling, South Refineries and Midland Refineries.

Besides, as part of the humanitarian aid program on restoration of assets of the Iraqi Ministry of Petroleum and state oil companies, 2 contracts have been signed on supplies of ambulance vehicles, excavators and forklift before the end of June.

Equipment will be delivered from Turkey to the town of Zakho in northeastern Iraq. There will be further supplies of water and sulfuric acid tank vehicles, caterpillar based equipment, hoists and hydraulic cranes.