News report by Khaled Al-Mutairi
KUWAIT, Jan 3 (KUNA) -- The offshore exploration project currently being implemented by Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) represents a pioneering national step aligning with requirements of State of Kuwait’s Oil Strategy 2040.
The project opens the door to applying the latest advanced technologies in offshore drilling and production, while also developing national capabilities and developing expertise of young professionals, thereby contributing to creation of new and high-quality job opportunities for Kuwaitis.
The project strengthens Kuwait’s position as a reliable producer at global level and ensures continuity of new hydrocarbon resources to meet global market needs.
It also lays foundation for a new phase in offshore exploration and opens broad prospects for use of artificial intelligence and data analysis technologies in exploration and production operations.
The project contributes to developing new technical skills in offshore exploration, drilling and production, and creates diverse new job opportunities for national talents. It also supports the application of innovative technologies across all marine disciplines, including digitalization, learning how to use machines, AI, data analysis and interpretation.
Kuwait’s offshore area has long been part of the country’s oil plans, remaining for more than six decades a focal point of survey operations and continuous interest. Today, Kuwait offshore dream has been realized through this strategic project.
The first offshore exploration efforts began in the 1960s when Shell conducted the first offshore survey in 1961, followed by the drilling of the first two offshore exploratory wells by the same company.
In 1963, KOC drilled its first offshore well near Failaka Island, in addition to other exploratory wells, in addition to wells in Madina field in Kuwait Bay.
In 1981, KOC carried out a two-dimensional offshore seismic survey covering an area of about 6,000 square kilometers. In 2014, the company repeated a 2D offshore survey, followed in 2018 by the completion of a geological study of the reservoirs and the identification of the best locations for exploratory drilling.
In 2022, the offshore exploratory drilling project commenced in Kuwait’s offshore area, with the drilling of (Nokhitha-I) well using offshore drilling rig Oriental Phoenix, and operations began on August 8, 2022.
On September 23, 2023, drilling began on the second exploratory well (Julaia-II) using offshore drilling rig Oriental Dragon.
These efforts resulted in two major milestones in Kuwait’s oil history: announcement of discovery of offshore Nokhitha field in July 2024, and discovery of offshore Julaia field in January 2025, completing a dream that had been under exploration scrutiny for decades.
The discovery of the Julaia field - Kuwait’s second purely offshore field - further strengthened the country’s position on global oil production map.
The field contains large commercial quantities of hydrocarbons and covers an area of approximately 74 square kilometers, with estimated reserves of about 800 million barrels of medium-density crude oil, free of hydrogen sulfide gas and with a low percentage of carbon dioxide.
The objective of drilling the (Julaia-II) well in December 2023 was to prove and confirm the presence and productivity of hydrocarbons from various geological formations of the Cretaceous period.
The Zubair formation is considered one of the most important oil-producing Cretaceous formations in northern Kuwait fields such as Sabriya and Rawdhatain, as it lies between the Ratawi formation below and the Shuaiba formation above.
The first phase of Kuwait’s offshore exploration included a comprehensive exploratory evaluation, based on which the locations of six wells were selected for drilling.
The first phase of the exploratory drilling plan includes six exploratory wells: three targeting Cretaceous formations - (Nokhitha-I), (Julaia-II), and (Jazah-I) - and three targeting Jurassic formations - (Nokhitha-II), (Julaia-III), and (Raqwa-III).
In October 2025, KOC announced the achievement of a new exploratory success in Kuwait’s offshore area with the discovery of the Jazah offshore natural gas field, which recorded the highest production rate for a vertical well from the Manageesh formation in Kuwait’s history. This comes as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to develop the country’s hydrocarbon resources.
The company explained at the time this discovery complements a series of consecutive offshore exploration successes, including discovery of the Nokhitha field in July 2024 and the Julaia field in January 2025, reflecting qualitative progress in offshore drilling operations.
It stated that initial test results of the (Jazah-I) well showed exceptional production exceeding 29 million cubic feet of gas per day and more than 5,000 barrels per day of condensates. The reservoir is distinguished by a low carbon dioxide content and the absence of hydrogen sulfide gas and associated water, making it an environmentally and technically rare discovery.
The company noted the initial area of the field is estimated at about 40 square kilometers, with estimates indicating presence of approximately one trillion cubic feet of gas and more than 120 million barrels of condensates, equivalent to about 350 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Meanwhile, KOC continues offshore exploration efforts, committing to achieving potential production of 200,000 barrels of oil per day and 150 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, supporting the company’s goals under its 2040 strategy. Offshore exploration initiatives account for about 25 percent of the remaining oil potential target for 2040.
Offshore explorations constitute essential building blocks for major future successes, as the petroleum system has been proven and commercial quantities have been reached in both the Nokhitha and Julaia offshore fields through new hydrocarbon discoveries.
This achievement requires the implementation of a three-dimensional seismic survey during the evaluation phase to gain a deeper understanding of offshore exploration potential and to assess possible hydrocarbon reserves.
A total of 18 exploratory wells have been identified in the offshore area.
The 3D seismic survey will play a pivotal role at this stage, with particular importance given to the two Jurassic wells (Nokhitha-II) and (Julaia-III), as they pass through the largest Cretaceous reservoirs discovered so far, in addition to the possibility of conducting productivity tests during drilling.
Offshore exploration operations face several technical challenges, most notably transportation, marine pollution and preparation of drilling sites.
However, KOC ensured readiness of pollution-control equipment and provided necessary support for diving and subsea maintenance operations.
Marine tugboats were used to transport drilling rigs to drilling sites, carry out site clearance, positioning and platform stabilization, in preparation for diving operations and drilling, as well as to remove any objects that could obstruct work or damage the rig.
Another challenge was the absence of reference data from previous wells that could be used to develop a precise plan to avoid risks before they occur, which necessitated the preparation of a comprehensive well-drilling plan with precautions for worst-case scenarios.
During the drilling of the first two wells of the project, Nokhitha and Julaia, workers found that formation pressures and temperatures were higher than expected, requiring provision of equipment capable of withstanding such complex conditions in future wells.
The Julaia field is among the closest offshore sites to the shoreline, which requires special measures, including regular drills and inspections to prevent any leaks during or after operations, securing the drilling area within a radius of up to 500 meters from sea goers, and transporting drilling cuttings and fluids to specialized company-operated treatment facilities. In addition, the well is isolated and secured on seabed to avoid accidents and ensure that marine navigation is not disrupted.
Advanced mechanisms have been adopted to manage offshore well isolation operations, ensuring the highest levels of environmental and operational safety. These operations follow sequential stages beginning with exploration and development to determine the paths to be followed based on exploration results.
If results prove the presence of a productive well, it is secured on the seabed using special protective cages while ensuring future surface access. If drilling results indicate a non-productive well, it is fully isolated on the seabed.
Regarding future opportunities, KOC is studying the best available options for early production from discovered offshore wells, followed by implementation of suitable infrastructure and the establishment of production facilities.
Efforts are currently underway to identify the best means of implementing the second phase of the offshore exploration project in Kuwaiti waters.
The second phase of the offshore exploration project includes 17 wells. The company has reviewed well designs and offshore drilling rig specifications, as well as assessed logistical operations based on current experience, aiming to reach optimal specifications that help reduce operating costs and shorten operation timelines while maintaining quality in upcoming project stages.
KOC is also studying the best options for establishing a dedicated port for offshore operations with suitable capacity to serve drilling rigs. (end)
Km.ht.eng