National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) will reveal a second list of international companies approved to bid in the country’s oil and gas tenders, Trade Arabia reported.

NIOC’s Deputy Head, Gholamreza Manouchehri, rejected claims that that Russian giants namely Zarubezhneft, Tatneft and Rosneft have been sidelined from Iran’s emerging energy market, adding that NIOC is preparing the second list of international firms qualified to bid in tenders for dozens of oil projects. Manouchehri speculated that Zarubezhneft and Tatneft, who have signed preliminary agreements to study Iranian oilfields, are likely to make it into the second list, according to Financial Tribune.

Russian companies have reportedly signed deals to study seven Iranian oil and gas reservoirs. Zarubezhneft is undertaking studies to boost extraction from two Iranian oilfields shared with Iraq, namely, Aban and West Paydar. Lukoil is now conducting technical studies over two oilfields namely Ab-Teymour and Mansouri and is due to submit its findings to the NIOC in the near future. Moreover, Russia’s Gazprom Neft PJSC is conducting surveys on Cheshmeh Khosh and Changuleh fields in Ilam Province west of Iran. Tatneft is also reportedly in an agreement to help study and develop the western Dehloran oilfield.

Earlier January, Iran issued the first list of international companies allowed to bid in the country’s oil and gas tenders. The list included Russia’s Lukoil and Gazprom, as well as oil majors such as France’s Total, Royal Dutch Shell, Italy’s Eni, Danish conglomerate Maersk, Austria’s OMV and Schlumberger as well as East Asian companies like CNPC and Sinopec, Inpex, KOGAS and Petronas.