* President, oil minister meet executives in Davos
* Model for new contracts ready by September
* Eni, Total, BP, LUKoil, GazpromNeft attend
By Dmitry Zhdannikov
DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Iran will have a new,attractive investment model for oil contracts by September, itspresident and oil minister told some of the world's top oilexecutives here on Thursday, part of its drive to win backWestern business.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Oil Minister BijanZanganeh said their new administration was keen to open up toWestern investments and technology, executives who attended themeeting said. They also stressed the importance of fossil fuel,with global energy demand rising.
"The fact that the president of Iran came to the meetingtoday... is clearly a sign that Iran wants to open up tointernational oil companies," said Paolo Scaroni, chiefexecutive of Italy's Eni, who was at the meeting.
"It was an impressive presentation," said one of threefurther oil executives who were at the meeting and spoke withReuters on condition of anonymity
"They said they are working on a new model to work withinvestors and are happy to see us," he added. "They not onlyneed money but technologies. They are happy to haveconsultations about how new contracts shall work. They want todecide on the model by September."
"The message was - look at us, our geological risks areminimal, reserves are huge, come and we will create competitiveterms and you will be happy. Your return on investments will beacceptable," another executive said.
Along with ENI, France's Total, Britain's BP, LUKoil and GazpromNeft from Russia, and several othercompanies were present.
Royal Dutch/Shell had said its new chief executiveBen van Beurden would not be there.
It was not clear if the meeting, which was held behindclosed doors amid tight security, was attended by U.S. oilexecutives from companies such as Exxon Mobil or Chevron.
SANCTIONS
Tehran has already said it wants Western oil companies torevive its giant ageing oilfields and develop new oil and gasfields once sanctions are lifted.
"The best way for companies like us to go back to Iran is tofollow strictly the sanctions and push both parties to reach anagreement which will lead to the lifting of sanctions one day,"Scaroni said.
"I made it clear some time ago I'm not going back to Iranunder old contract terms even if all sanctions are lifted."
Scaroni was the first Western CEO to meet publicly with OilMinister Bijan Zanganeh, on the sidelines of a meeting of theOrganization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries last month.
The major OPEC producer has started implementing a nucleardeal with world powers, a step towards a broad settlement whichcould lead to the end of sanctions.
Western sanctions imposed in 2012 on Iran for its nuclearprogramme have choked Tehran's oil production - output is down amillion barrels per day (bpd) since the start of 2012 to 2.7million bpd - and lost it billions in oil revenue.
Top Iranian officials say it can raise production to 4million bpd within six months of sanctions being lifted. Westernexperts are more conservative, saying 3 million to 3.5 millionbpd is more likely.
Two executives present at the meeting said that they wouldcertainly look at the new contracts and consider investing.
One said he was having no discussions with Iran at themoment and opportunities were abundant elsewhere.
"I was most impressed with the finance minister of Mexico,also talking to us today, about reforms they make to bringcompanies to share risks," he said.
BP (BP.)
