Argus Media Limited

09/19/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/19/2021 05:06

Kuwait launches new 100,000 b/d upstream facility

Kuwait's state-owned KOC has launched its newest gathering center, adding 100,000 b/d to its total crude oil handling capacity, the upstream operator said today.

The GC-31 gathering center will process 100,000 b/d of crude along with 62.5mn f3/d of gas and 240,000 b/d of treated water, KOC said.

The facility, built by London-listed oilfield services company Petrofac, is the last of three identical gathering center covered by a $2.3bn contract awarded by KOC in 2014. The other two centers, GC-29 and GC-30 have already been completed by their contractors - Dodsal and Larsen & Toubro, both based in India. Initially due for completion in 2018, all three fell well behind schedule.

These units are part of KOC's long-term plan to develop and integrate output from Kuwait's northern oil fields where Shell is state-owned KPC's technical partner for heavy oil developments. The gathering centers serve as a connecting point for crude produced at various wells, and provide initial treatment such as separating associated gas, water and salt.

Petrofac is still working on the construction of another facility, GC-32, at the prolific but ageing 1.7mn b/d Burgan field in the southeast of Kuwait under a $1.3bn deal signed in 2017. Slated for completion in mid-2020, it is the first center developed at Burgan to process 120,000 b/d of sour crude and gas from the Arifjan, Marat, Minagish Oolite and Wara fields with high hydrogen sulphide content.

KOC is currently planning another 3 gathering centers.

Argus estimated Kuwait's output at 2.44mn b/d in August, out of a total capacity of around 3mn b/d, in line with its commitments under the ongoing Opec+ agreement. This includes the country's share from 500,000 b/d Neutral Zone capacity it shares with Saudi Arabia, although production there remains at around half of that level.

The state has long held plans to boost its total capacity to 4mn b/d, although the date for reaching this target has continued to slip. Sources say the most recent plan envisages Kuwait hitting this target by 2040.

By Adal Mirza