Xinhua,TEHRAN: Iran will put its largest oil field, Azadegan, on tender to finalise a deal for its development study by summer 2018, Financial Tribune daily quoted Iran’s Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh as saying on Saturday.

“A deal will be concluded by summer next year if the tender goes as planned,” said Zanganeh on the sidelines of signing a gas deal with Russia’s Gazprom in Tehran.

Ali Kardor, the chief executive officer of Iran’s state oil company, NIOC, said Friday that Japan’s INPEX, China’s CNPC, Royal Dutch Shell and France’s Total have presented their proposals on Azadegan.

“Other companies have requested more time to submit their technical surveys,” Kardor said without providing details.

Malaysia’s Petronas is also interested in the project, having presented its findings on the oilfield, according to the report.