Talisman Energy Inc , Canada's No. 5 independent oil and gas producer, said on Wednesday it still plans to sell all or a portion of its exploration properties in Iraq's Kurdistan region despite the conflict in the area and expects to begin a sale process in the next several weeks.

Brent Anderson, a spokesman for the Calgary-based company, said an advisor has been selected for the sale process. The company could sell all or part of its oilfields in the region depending on the amount of interest in the sale.

Anderson also said the company's properties had not been affected by the conflict in the region, though the company last week removed most of its personnel from the area.

Reporting by Scott Haggett