Iraq on Monday replaced four directors at its Oil Ministry as they have reached their age of retirement.
Natiq al-Bayati, director-general at the Ministry's Petroleum Contracts and Licensing Directorate, or PCLD, was replaced by his deputy Abdul Mahdy al-Ameedi, Assem Jihad told Dow Jones Newswires.
The PCLD runs the two post-war bidding rounds which concluded in December with the award of 10 large oil deals to international companies.
Manaa al-Obeidy, director-general of Iraq's second largest state-run company, the North Oil Co., was replaced by his deputy Hamid Abdulrazzaq al-Saadi. Hussam Jaber, head of the oil exploration company, was replaced by Kareem Hattab who was head of the oil products distribution company.
Hattab was himself replaced by his deputy Hameed Abu Sudah at the distribution company, Jihad said.
Samir Mikhael, director-general of the ministry's technical affairs directorate, was replaced by Fiyadh Hassan Naamah who was earlier this year dismissed from his post as director-general of the largest state-run firm, the South Oil Co.
Jihad said the four officials were replaced because they reached their retirement age.