WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Iraq's Oil Ministry said all companies interested in winning contracts need to register as Iraq moves closer to its first tenders of oil fields.

Iraq's currently producing oil fields require billions of dollars in investment -- either from international oil companies or via the ministry's companies -- and Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani has said deals will be announced soon.

There have been mixed messages from the ministry, however, as to whether certain fields will be awarded in an open bidding process or negotiated between the ministry and a selected company. And the type of contract itself, a controversial aspect, has not been specified by the ministry.

"Contracts and licensing directory in (the) Oil Ministry on Wednesday called on all qualified and well-known international companies to submit their applications to work in Iraq," ministry spokesman Assem Jihad was quoted by the Voices of Iraq news agency. "Companies have to fill in application forms and submit the documents before the end of January 2008."

Rochdi Younsi, a Middle East analyst with the business risk firm Eurasia Group, said companies are largely awaiting a national oil law setting the foreign investment ground rules before agreeing to direct large sums of money in Iraq.