Amman - The Jordanian government will sign a "strategic partnership agreement" at the end of April with British Petroleum and four affiliated companies for the development of the Risheh gas field near the Iraqi border, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khaldoun Quteishat was quoted as saying Saturday.

The accord, now in its final negotiation stage, is the largest gas venture in the country eventually involving a multi-billion-dollar investment, he told the daily newspaper al-Rai.

Under the agreement's provisions, BP undertakes to spend 234 million dollars in gas exploration activities in the project's first stage which is due to last for three years, he said.

On the results of the first stage, the firm will use sophisticated technology to carry out 2 billion dollars of investments in the region that could expand to 8 billion dollars, he added.

Quteishat put the current daily output of the Risheh gas field at about 20 million cubic feet, which are being exploited in the generation of electricity. (dpa)