Mexican state oil monopoly Petroleos Mexicanos said Sunday it awarded four contracts for well-recovery rigs and related services as part of its efforts to contain the decline in production at the offshore Cantarell oilfields.

Pemex said in a press release that work on the contracts, which are for a combined $150 million, is expected to be completed in about eight months.

Pemex is seeking to maintain output levels at Cantarell, the country's principal oilfield, where heavy crude-oil production has fallen to less that one million barrels a day from more than two million barrels a day in 2004.

Among the companies that won contracts were ICA Fluor, a joint-venture of Mexico's Empresas ICA (ICA) and Fluor Corp. (FLR) of the U.S., and Grupo Carso SA's (GPOVY) construction unit Cicsa (CICSA.MX).

-By Anthony Harrup, Dow Jones Newswires; 5255-5001-5727; anthony.harrup@dowjones.com

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