Oil-rich Gulf Arab neighbours Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are to discuss later this month joint oil operations in their shared border areas, including the Dorra gas field, a Kuwaiti official said Sunday.
"A meeting between the two sides is slated for the second half of January. We will discuss future operations in the border areas," Issa al-Oun, energy ministry under-secretary, told AFP.
Oun will lead the Kuwaiti committee that will meet with the Saudi side to draw up future plans for the development of the oil-rich Khafji and Wafra areas and their maritime operations which include gas and oil fields.
"We will outline future operations in the areas and discuss potential operators, in addition to legal matters," Oun said.
After the cancellation of the Japanese Arabian Oil Company's concession, the areas are being operated by Saudi Aramco Co and Kuwait's Gulf Oil Co.
But the areas also include the gas-rich Dorra field, whose largest part is located on the Saudi-Kuwaiti common maritime border, while a part of it is disputed by neighbouring Iran.
"The border issue of the field (with Saudis) was discussed in the past. Now, we will talk about the issue of operations. We will be talking about the distant future," said Oun.
Riyadh and Kuwait City signed a deal in 2001 to demarcate their maritime border stipulating that the two countries jointly develop the natural resources of the offshore zone, including Dorra.
Kuwaiti Energy Minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahd al-Sabah and his Saudi counterpart Ali al-Nuaimi agreed in October to form two committees to discuss details of future operations.
Sheikh Ahmad said the Dorra field was discussed as part of the joint operations in the border areas.
Kuwait, which is rich in oil but poor in natural gas, wants to go ahead with plans to develop the gas field in co-ordination with the Saudis, but has been waiting to resolve its dispute with Iran.
The emirate has indicated in the past few months it will go ahead in the development projects side by side with its talks with Iran. Sheikh Ahmad had even hinted at seeking international arbitration.
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