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Viewing cable 06KUWAIT100, KUWAIT TO BEGIN EXPLORATION IN "UNDISPUTED" AREA

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06KUWAIT100 2006-01-16 11:29 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Kuwait
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS KUWAIT 000100 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON FOR TSOU 
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FOR IE 
EB/ESC/IEC FOR GALLOGLY, DOWDY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG EPET ECON KU IR OIL SECTOR
SUBJECT: KUWAIT TO BEGIN EXPLORATION IN "UNDISPUTED" AREA 
OF OFFSHORE GAS FIELD SHARED WITH IRAN 
 
REF: 05 KUWAIT 0943 
 
1.  Local press and online news sources reported in the first 
week of January that Kuwait plans to start exploring for 
natural gas in what it calls the "undisputed" parts of the 
offshore Durra gas field (reftel).  Ministry of Energy 
Undersecretary Issa Al-Own told a local newspaper on January 
2 that talks with Iran were continuing regarding the 
continental shelf boundary, but that Kuwait would "go ahead 
with exploration in the undisputed part." 
 
2.  In 1960, both Kuwait and Iran awarded concessions for 
exploration in the Durra field, to Anglo-Iranian Petroleum 
(now part of BP), and Royal Dutch/Shell.  However, no 
significant exploration and or development has been yet 
carried out on the field.  Recoverable gas reserves in Durra 
are estimated at 200 billion cubic meters. Kuwait signed an 
agreement with Saudi Arabia in 2000 to divide any oil and gas 
profits from the offshore Durra field, but Iran made a claim 
to part of the field and objected to any exploration until 
the maritime border is demarcated.  Foreign Minister Shaykh 
Dr Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah has made numerous trips 
to Iran over the past two years to attempt to reach a 
settlement of the offshore border issue but it has yet to be 
resolved. 
 
3.  According to the press reports, Al-Own also said that 
Kuwait would soon invite bids for seismic surveys of the 
Kuwait portion of the Durra field, along with other offshore 
fields.  He said that he did not expect Iran to object.  Iran 
responded by saying that the exploration "must be in 
undisputed waters", according to Iranian Foreign Ministry 
spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi, quoted in January 3 news reports. 
 
 
******************************************** 
Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
******************************************** 
LeBaron