By Jason Simpkins Associate Editor Iraq has officially opened the door for foreign oil companies to invest in the country’s rich energy sector for the first time in more than 30 years. Thirty-five foreign oil majors have been invited to bid for contracts to provide technical support and help boost production in eight oil and natural gas fields. The contracts will be awarded in 2009, as Iraq’s oil minister, Hussein Shahristani, hopes to increase production by 2 million barrels of crude oil per day by 2013. Iraq has the world’s third largest proven petroleum reserves, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). While Iraq boasts proven reserves of 112 billion barrels, the EIA estimates that up to 90% of the country remains unexplored. Only 2,000 wells have been drilled in Iraq, versus approximately 1 million in the state of Texas alone. The war-torn ...