Kuwait city: Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) offshore exploration and drilling is one of the vital pathways to enhancing Kuwait's production capacity and ensuring the sustainability of its hydrocarbon resources, said Director of Public Relations and Petroleum Media at the Ministry of Oil, Sheikha Tamadher Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. In a speech during a specialized seminar organized by the Ministry of Oil under the title (Jazza-1 Offshore Field), Sheikha Tamadher emphasized the Ministry's commitment to spotlighting strategic national projects in the oil sector.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Sheikha Tamadher noted the importance of national cadres in all project stages, from geological studies to technical operations and future development. The Ministry's responsibility includes documenting efforts and showcasing accomplishments by national hands, particularly in major exploration projects like offshore drilling. The project extends beyond exploration, with strategic implications for developing Kuwaiti expertise and preparing for the future of the energy industry in Kuwait.
KOC representatives, Senior Geologist Iman Al-Shehri and Senior Petroleum Engineer Abdulmohsen Al-Janaei, discussed the history of offshore exploratory assessment in Kuwait. They stated that offshore exploration began in 1961, with a significant focus starting in 2014 following a two-dimensional offshore seismic survey. By 2018, geological reservoir studies were completed, and optimal drilling locations were identified, leading to the 2022 commencement of the offshore exploration drilling project with the (Nokhatha-1) well using the (Oriental Phoenix) offshore drilling rig.
The representatives detailed that Kuwait's offshore area spans approximately 6,000 square kilometers. Seven exploratory wells targeting Cretaceous formations were drilled in the 1960s and 1980s, though no commercial discoveries were made at the time. The Nokhatha offshore field, discovered in July 2024 east of Failaka Island, represents Kuwait's first major offshore discovery, with reserves estimated at approximately 3.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
The Julaia offshore field, announced in January 2025, was the second discovery, with reserves of 800 million barrels of medium crude oil and 600 billion cubic feet of gas. The third significant discovery, the Jazza offshore field, revealed large commercial quantities of hydrocarbon resources within Kuwait's territorial waters, covering an estimated area of about 40 square kilometers.