An Italian company has delivered the second of 24 industrial oil diggers to the Oil Drilling Company, based in Kirkuk.

Speaking to Aswat Al-Iraq, a senior official in Iraq's oil ministry said the new machinery will be used to ramp up oil production at existing fields.

"The Oil Drilling Company received the digger, the second of its kind to arrive in Kirkuk, and will establish it at Ugail oilfield and Hamrien fields, southwest of Kirkuk, to develop and increase their production," said ministry official Kazem Khangar.

The Iraqi oil ministry is overseeing the sale of production leases in the country, and has also helped to establish the oil training institute in Kirkuk, which is the oldest petroleum training centre in the country.

So far, the ministry has conducted two bidding rounds for international firms looking to participate in the development of the country's vast oilfields.

China National Offshore Oil Corp, Total and BP were among the major winners in the two rounds.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development