Alliance to win Iraqi reconstruction contracts signed

Nafta Polska (NP) yesterday signed the previously announced agreement on cooperation with Kellogg, Brown and Root. The two companies decided to form a new venture called Consolidated Oil Services (COS), which will aim at winning Iraqi reconstruction contracts. Denis Wright, the deputy president of the American concern, Maciej Gierej, the president of NP, as well as Foreign Minister, Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz were all present at the ceremony of signing the contract. The consortium was joined by 24 other domestic companies, including Grupa Lotos, Ciech, Prochem, PGNiG, and Police Chemical Plant. "Now we have to concentrate on the details of further cooperation in Iraq. We, in particular, are interested in gaining access to local oil deposits," said Paweł Olechnowicz, the president of Grupa Lotos. The main competitor to COS is Poilen, a venture created in June this year by PKN Orlen and Polimex-Cekop. (Puls Biznesu, p. 5; Parkiet, p. 5) A.K.