LONDON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Britain could be close toagreeing a deal to ease sanctions that have stopped gasproduction from the North Sea's Rhum field, jointly owned by BP and the National Iranian Oil Co., the Mail on Sundaynewspaper said.
Production from the field, which once supplied 5 percent ofBritain's gas output, has been suspended since 2010 as a resultof international sanctions against Iran.
But with signs of a thaw in relations between Iran and theWest, the government now hopes to win agreement from theEuropean Union and the United States for a sanctions waiver inthe near future, the newspaper said, citing people close to thetalks.
One stumbling block to a deal, however, could be concernsfrom companies involved in financing and servicing the fieldthat any exemption for the producers would not fully protectthem from legal action, it added.
A Department of Energy and Climate Change spokesman said:"We are working to ensure the long-term security of the Rhum gasfield but no decision has been made at this time on a solution."
A spokesman for BP declined to comment on the possibility ofa waiver being granted.
"As operator of the field our priorities are two-fold - toensure the field remains safe and that we remain compliant withthe law," he said. "It is up to the government to decide on thelonger-term options."
BP (BP.)
