Exxon Mobil First Exploiters Into Afghanistan?

The U.S. government has said the country likely holds just a fraction of the reserves of other Middle East producers. But it is largely unexplored, and simply attracting the attention of Irving-based Exxon Mobil is likely to turn heads toward Afghanistan.
"Exxon would not go into an area unless the areas are very promising. They are not looking for potatoes," said Chakib Khelil, former Algerian oil minister, now an energy consultant in Paris, in the Reuters report.
Exxon was one of eight firms that this month expressed interest in an oil and gas auction of six blocks in the Afghan-Tajik basin.