LOC14:23
11:23 GMT
22 oil wells in Al-Abdali field north of Kuwait to resume operation
By Awatef Al-Hasawi
KUWAIT, March 23 (KUNA) -- Twenty-Two oil wells in the northern Al-Abdali
oil field, which produces 50,000 barrels a day, will resume operations
gradually after being shutdown as part of the country's precautionary and
security measures at times of war.
The official spokesperson of Kuwait's oil sector Sheikh Talal Al-Khalid
Al-Sabah told KUNA Thursday that operations would resume after ensuring the
security situation and the safety of the workers in the oil installations in
Al-Abdali.
The resumption of operation in all oil wells there would take place
gradually during a short period because the operation needs special technical
arrangements, he said.
Sheikh Talal, also the Executive Assistant of the Managing Director of
projects and relations at the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), said after
operations are resumed gradually the total production of Al-Abdali and
Al-Ritqa fields, Kuwait's northern oil fields, will reach 85,000 barrels a
day. Production had been increased in Burgan oil field south of Kuwait to
compensate that amount during the time the norther fields were shutdown, he
said.
Sheikh Talal had said to KUNA yesterday that 17 oil wells at Ritqa oil
field have started producing oil again. Those wells have been closed down
three weeks ago because of the war in Iraq.
The Spokesperson said Kuwait's firefighting team has resumed its activities
in putting down burning oil wells in Al-Rumaila oil fields that were set
ablaze by Iraqi forces at the start of the war last week. The team had
suspended their work yesterday at the field due to bad weather conditions.
Kuwait's participation in capping the oil wells comes purely as a
humanitarian gesture to protect the resources of the Iraqi people and to help
protect the environment, he said. (end)
ash.bn
KUNA 271423 Mar 03NNNN