LONDON Totalfinaelf has become the largest shareholder in the Offshore Kazakhstan International Operating Company (OKIOC) after buying BP Amoco's 9.5 percent stake, boosting its chances as operator of the huge Kashagan oil field.

The sale by Britain's biggest oil company is also seen as adding to the possibility that the eventual production from the field could be exported south through Iran rather than being reserved for the controversial 2,000km Baku-Ceyhan pipeline, sponsored by the U.S.

A spokesman for BP, which has large American interests, said that his company had looked at the possibility of increasing its stake in Kashagan field to have more influence over its development, but were "unable to do so."

BP's original share in OKIOC taken in 1997 as part of its now defunct strategic alliance with Statoil of Norway, was much smaller than the 14.3 percent stakes taken by the five biggest partners, Totalfinaelf, Anglo-Dutch Shell, Italy's Agip, BG of the UK and Exxon-Mobil.

Britain's biggest oil company also recently sold its 7 percent stake in Russia's Lukoiloil, but still retains interests in Kazakhstan's Tengiz oil field and the CPC pipeline to Russia.

(IRNA)