NEW YORK (Bloomberg News) - Statoil ASA, Norway's biggest oil company, is in talks with the Iranian government to ensure a $300 million investment in Iran isn't jeopardized by a bribery investigation, said acting Chief Executive Officer Inge Hansen. ``We are in direct contact with the Iranian authorities and we're working very hard to minimize the effects'' of the investigation, Hansen, 57, said in an interview at Statoil's headquarters in Stavanger, Norway. ``Our work at South Pars and our operatorShip there is continuing according to plan.''

Norwegian police are examining whether Statoil used a $15 million consulting contract to bribe Iranian officials and gain access to South Pars, the world's largest gas field without oil. The company's shares dropped as much as 7 percent after a raid on its headquarters Sept. 11. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission began its own investigation on Sept. 26.

Hansen, who took over as chief executive after Olav Fjell quit two weeks ago, is seeking to reassure investors that the probe won't hurt Statoil's plan to boost output outside Norway. Statoil, which pumps 10 percent of its oil abroad, needs new deposits to make up for an impending drop in domestic reserves. ``I took over in very difficult circumstances and my focus is on looking forward and developing our business,'' Hansen said. ``We have to make sure this remains a one-off event. Our international strategy remains firm.''

Established by Norway's government in 1972 to exploit newly discovered oil fields in the North Sea, Statoil is still 82 percent-owned by the state. Other major shareholders include Fidelity Investments and Janus Capital Management LLC.

The company reported net income of 16.85 billion kroner ($2.39 billion) last year on sales of 242.2 billion kroner. The Norwegian state received 5.1 billion kroner in dividends and 34.3 billion kroner in taxes from Statoil, contributing to a fund from oil revenues set up to pay future pensions. It does business in 25 countries from Angola to Venezuela.

Hansen, who captained Norway's handball team in the 1972 Olympics, became Statoil's chief financial officer in March 2000 after five years heading one of Norway's leading brokerages, Orkla Finans. He is credited by analysts with helping guide Statoil's $2.9 billion initial offering in 2001. Statoil has a market value of about $21 billion at current prices.

Hansen is a contender to become the permanent CEO because he is bound to continue the foreign-expansion strategy Statoil has followed since it went public, according to analysts.

Hansen said in the interview he wasn't involved in the Iranian consulting contract. ``I was never involved in the matter,'' he said. ``I first saw the internal review report on Sept. 11, after the media began reporting on it. I wasn't aware until then about the seriousness of the matter.''

Statoil's internal auditors informed Fjell in April and Loeddesoel in June that payments under the contract had been made to a tax-haven account. According to Statoil, the company paid $5.2 million to Horton's bank account in Turks & Caicos, a British colony in the Caribbean, through a Swiss bank.

Statoil, which last year became operator of parts of the South Pars field, is also seeking to produce oil there. The company expects to get as much of 40 percent of its production internationally by 2012, Hansen said in the interview.