Kuwait Says Maritime Gas Field To Go Online, Despite Dispute With Iran
A Kuwaiti official has said that plans are in place to start production at a Persian Gulf gas and oil field in the coming years, which is also claimed by Iran.
A Kuwaiti official has said that plans are in place to start production at a Persian Gulf gas and oil field in the coming years, which is also claimed by Iran.
The Durra gas field off the coast of Kwait, Saudi Arabia and Iran is expected to be fully commissioned by 2029, a deputy managing director of Kuwait Petroleum said on Wednesday.
A Kuwaiti-Saudi Arabian development agreement signed last year has been criticized by Iran, which claims a stake in the field. Durra holds an estimated 20 trillion cubic feet in proven reserves.
Called Arash in Iran and Durra or Dorra by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait -- the offshore field was discovered in 1967 and is estimated to have a total proven reserves of around 310 million barrels of oil in addition to the large gas reserves.
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait began making bold remarks about the energy reserve field earlier this year, demanding that Iran should demarcate its maritime borders in the region.
In July, Kuwait’s oil minister Saad Al Barrak stated, “This is an exclusive right of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in the Durra field, and whoever has a claim must start demarcating the borders. And if it has a right, it will take it according to the rules of international law," and added that "The other side (Iran) has claims that are not based on a clear demarcation of the maritime borders.”
Iran’s oil minister Javad Owji responded July 30th that “If there is no willingness to cooperate, Iran will pursue its rights and benefits, including the exploitation and exploration of the Arash gas field, and will not tolerate any violation of its rights.”
