Kuwait: Al-Durra oil field is purely Saudi – Kuwaiti, Iran has no rights over it
Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s FM, stated on Tuesday that Iran is not a party to the Al-Durra gas field in the Persian Gulf, emphasizing that it is a “pure” Kuwaiti-Saudi field.
The deal between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to exploit the offshore gas field was deemed “illegal” by Iran, who claimed that the field was shared by the three countries.
Iran’s remarks were dismissed by Kuwait’s FM, who stated that “Iran is not a party to the Al-Durra field, as it is a wholly Kuwaiti-Saudi field.”
“According to the agreements reached between the two nations, only Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have exclusive rights to use and invest in this field,” he said.
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, on the other hand, were unable to reach an agreement on a tripartite agreement to demarcate maritime borders in the common continental shelf to the north of the Arabian Gulf.
Kuwait’s FM, on the other hand, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to negotiations with Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Iran to “demarcate the frontiers of the continental shelf between the three countries.”
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement on March 21 to develop the Dorra field, which is projected to produce 1 billion cubic feet of gas and 84,000 barrels of condensate per day.
According to the deal, the field’s output will be split evenly between the two countries in order to meet rising local demand.
The signing of the deal, according to the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, was in fulfilment of a memorandum of understanding signed by Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in December 2019, “which includes joint work to develop and exploit the Al-Durra field.”
According to the announcement, output will be split evenly between the two partners using the “offshore separation” option, which will separate each partner’s portion at sea and send Aramco Gulf Operations’ share of natural gas, gas liquids, and condensates to the company’s facilities in Khafji. Meanwhile, natural gas, gas liquids, and condensates are sent to Kuwait Gulf Oil Company’s Al-Zour facilities.
Iran has criticized the arrangement, with Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh calling it a “illegal step” last Saturday, adding that his country “also reserves the right to engage in the joint sector.”
