LOC23:20
20:20 GMT
KUWAIT, April 3 (KUNA) -- Kuwait Gulf Oil Company (KGOC) praised Friday Saudi Arabia's "professionalism" in the joint operations zone in Al-Wafra and Al-Khafji, which paved way for exporting the first crude oil shipment amidst spread of coronavirus.
The Saudi side's cooperation has great impacts on facilitating operations in the joint operations zone, KGOC Acting CEO Abdullah Al-Sumaiti said in a statement.
KGOC succeeded in producting around one million barrels of crude oil in Al-Khafji, he said, and exports would resume following a halt in production.
He said this quantity will be loaded on Saturday and Sunday on Dar Salwa tanker to be sold in Asian markets.
Resumption of production would be according to plan, said Al-Sumaiti, and production of the light crude would begin gradually to be followed by heavy crude.
Kuwait Minister of Oil Khaled Al-Fadhel said earlier today Kuwait would export first shipment of Al-Khafji crude oil from the divided zone for the first time since five years ago.
Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabah and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed an agreement on December 24, 2019, over the neutral zone, the demarcation of the submerged area which is adjacent to the divided zone.
The two countries also signed an agreement to resume oil production.
KGOC, an affiliate to Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) was established in 2002 to be responsible for Kuwait's share in the divided zone instead of the Arab Oil Company. (end)
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