Kuwaiti daily Al Qabas reports that initial production will resume at the Saudi-Kuwait Neutral Zone (PNZ) on 16 February, citing an internal memo which refers to the onshore Wafra field. The field, operated by a 50:50 JV of Kuwait’s KGOC and Saudi Arabian Chevron (SAC), has been shut-in since May 2015.
Chevron has been very cautious in its statements regarding the timing and ramp up of output from the heavy oil field, and initial volumes are likely to be minimal as the partners put the field through its paces. CEO Mike Wirth said in late-January that “we’ve got some uncertainties…it looks as if we will begin production there at some point over the next few months” (MEES, 7 February). Prior to its shutdown, Wafra was producing around 175,000 b/d and Mr Wirth says “it should be on a trend line over the next 18 months or so back towards something that looks like we saw before we shut down.” (CONTINUED - 186 WORDS)