News
& Events

The Ministry of Oil organizes a seminar entitled (Offshore Drilling Project)

13-09-2023

- Sheikha Tamader Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah: Exploratory offshore drilling marks the beginning of a new and promising era of oil and gas exploration operations in the country. The offshore drilling project contributes to achieving the Kuwait Oil Company’s strategy for the year 2040 and increasing the production capacity of oil and gas. Today, Wednesday, September 13, 2023, the Ministry of Oil organized a seminar entitled (Offshore Drilling Project), in which senior geophysicist Maitham Ibrahim and senior geologist Ahmed Al-Otaibi lectured from the Kuwait Oil Company. It was attended by technical and economic affairs employees at the Ministry of Oil and guests from the Environment Public Authority and the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy. The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), and media professionals. At the beginning of the discussion session, the Director of Public Relations and Information at the Ministry of Oil, Sheikha Tamadur Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, welcomed the attendees and said that the exploratory offshore drilling project is considered one of the pioneering and major projects currently being implemented by the Kuwait Oil Company, as it marks the beginning of a new and promising era of oil and gas exploration operations. in the country and opens broad and promising horizons for a future to which the country aspires for further development, modernity and leadership. Sheikha Tamader Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah stated that the offshore drilling project culminates the tremendous efforts made by the Kuwait Oil Company in all its sectors over the years to reach this defining moment, as the company engaged in a huge amount of preparations, studies, meetings, workshops and initial visits internally and externally, and it was its pioneer in this. The offshore drilling experience must be complete, integrated and safe in all its aspects. Therefore, the company has spared no effort in attracting the summation of the experiences of others with the aim of attracting expertise and achieving maximum benefit. She stressed that the exploratory offshore drilling project is considered one of the most important projects that will contribute to achieving the Kuwait Oil Company's strategy for the year 2040 and increasing the production capacity of oil and gas in the State of Kuwait. The importance of the project Both Chief Geologist Ahmed Al-Otaibi and Chief Geophysicist Maitham Ibrahim reviewed the importance of the marine exploration project, saying that it is considered a national project whose purpose is to contribute to increasing the State of Kuwait’s reserves of hydrocarbon resources, strengthening the position of the State of Kuwait as one of the reliable producers in the world, and ensuring the continued existence of hydrocarbon resources. New to meet the needs of the global market, in addition to the fact that the project includes the State of Kuwait among the leading regional players as a prominent marine operator in accordance with international standards, and ensures the addition of new technical specializations related to offshore drilling operations and the creation of new and diverse job opportunities for national cadres. They stated that the stages of the current marine exploration project focused on implementing a two-dimensional seismic survey and studying the areas surrounding the Kuwaiti marine area, conducting geophysical and geological studies to know the details of the earth’s layers and compositions, and economic aspects, identifying the best offshore drilling sites, securing offshore drilling sites, and preparing for logistical operations to transport materials, equipment, and personnel from And to offshore drilling platforms, and coordinate with all relevant government agencies to issue the required certificates and permits, and then begin offshore drilling operations, study the initial readings of the well, extract samples from the layers, and perform the necessary tests for reservoirs likely to contain hydrocarbon materials. They pointed out that the marine area represents approximately one-third of the total land area of ​​the State of Kuwait, and the program includes drilling 6 exploratory wells to explore for oil and gas in the marine areas of the State of Kuwait, as a first stage and based on the drilling results, the subsequent stages will be determined successively. They said that during the marine exploration project, two Jack-Ups drilling platforms were used, and a marine risk survey was carried out and all obstacles were removed to ensure that the drilling platforms reached the drilling sites and settled safely. Drilling of the first exploratory well began using the Oriental Phoenix drilling rig, while The second drilling rig (Oriental Dragon) has arrived, and it is expected to begin drilling the second exploratory well soon. They pointed out that drilling is being carried out using the latest methods and means that protect the surrounding marine area from pollution. All workers on offshore drilling platforms undergo special training for this purpose, and in the event of any accident, it will be dealt with within the emergency response plan prepared in advance for all possible scenarios.