State-owned firm Qatar Petroleum (QP) said it has signed a gas exploration and production-sharing deal with CNOOC Middle East, a unit of China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC).

Exploration will take place in a bloc measuring around 5,649 square kilometres (2,181 square miles) in the waters off the eastern shore of the peninsula, the firm said late on Monday.

Under the deal, CNOOC will spend 100 million dollars to fund exploration and drilling wells. The deal spans 25 years, with up to five years dedicated to exploration.

"This is one of a series of deals QP plans to sign with other international oil firms to explore and develop oil and gas sources in Qatar," Qatari Oil Minister Abdullah al-Attiyah was quoted as saying at the signing ceremony.

The Gulf Arab emirate is among the world's top exporters of liquefied natural gas.