If no agreement is reached by February, Luaibi told journalists at a signing ceremony for a separate deal, the project would be offered to other companies.

Luaibi had said in October that Iraq was in final talks with Exxon Mobil on developing the project, which consists of building oil pipelines, storage facilities and a seawater supply project to inject water from the Gulf into reservoirs to improve production.

(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

By Ahmed Rasheed