BP Starts Production at Second Phase of Egypt's Raven Field

FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen outside a BP (British Petroleum) petrol station in Liverpool, Britain, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen outside a BP (British Petroleum) petrol station in Liverpool, Britain, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
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BP Starts Production at Second Phase of Egypt's Raven Field

FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen outside a BP (British Petroleum) petrol station in Liverpool, Britain, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen outside a BP (British Petroleum) petrol station in Liverpool, Britain, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

British energy giant, BP, announced on Sunday the start of production from the second development phase of the Raven field, offshore Egypt, which involves the subsea tieback of additional Raven infill wells to its existing onshore infrastructure as part of the West Nile Delta (WND) project.

BP, the operator, holds an 82.75% stake in the project, while Harbour Energy owns the remaining 17.25%.
The new wells are expected to produce approximately 220 billion cubic feet of gas and 7 million barrels of condensate, the company said in a statement.

The project was safely executed ahead of schedule, allowing for an accelerated start of production.

Nader Zaki, BP Regional President for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “This further demonstrates BP’s commitment to investing in Egypt.”

Wail Shaheen, VP BP Egypt, said: “This series of achievements embodies our ongoing commitment to helping meet the increasing local energy demand by optimizing production from available resources while adding new ones.”

The West Nile Delta Gas Development comprises a series of gas condensate fields located offshore Egypt, within the North Alexandria and West Mediterranean Deepwater concessions.



Saudi Index Extends Gains

An investor monitors the Saudi stocks (AFP)
An investor monitors the Saudi stocks (AFP)
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Saudi Index Extends Gains

An investor monitors the Saudi stocks (AFP)
An investor monitors the Saudi stocks (AFP)

Most Gulf stock markets rose in early trade on Sunday, with the Saudi index extending gains to a fifth session.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index .TASI climbed 2%, with all of its constituents posting gains, led by energy and materials stocks.

Saudi Aramco advanced 4% and Yanbu National Petrochemical surged 10%.

The Qatari benchmark .QSI rose 0.1%, with Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding gaining 5.3% and telecommunications company Ooredoo adding 2.1%.

In Muscat, ⁠the ⁠share index .MSX30 was up 1.4% and Bahrain's index .BAX edged up 0.2%.

Kuwait's index .BKP eased 0.5%, with most stocks in negative territory.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation began cutting oil output on Saturday and declared force majeure, adding to earlier oil and gas reductions from Iraq and Qatar as the US-Iran war blocked shipments from the Middle East for the eighth consecutive day.


Kuwait Makes Precautionary Cut in Oil Production

The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (X)
The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (X)
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Kuwait Makes Precautionary Cut in Oil Production

The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (X)
The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (X)

The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) said on Saturday it has implemented a precautionary reduction in crude oil production and refining throughput as part of its risk management and business continuity strategy.

The decision came “in light of the ongoing aggression by Iran against the State of Kuwait, including Iranian threats against safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz,” KPC said in a statement.

KPC affirmed the adjustment is strictly precautionary and will be reviewed as the situation develops.

“The corporation remains fully prepared to restore production levels once conditions allow. KPC stresses that all domestic market needs remain fully secured in accordance with established plans,” the statement said.

It added that KPC remains committed to prioritizing employee safety, safeguarding Kuwait's national assets, and promoting stability within global energy markets.

The statement said further updates will be provided as appropriate.

On Friday, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures climbed more than 10%, pulling closer to Brent as buyers sought available barrels, with Middle Eastern supply constrained by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the expanding US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Brent crude futures were up $5.42, or 6.35%, at $90.83 a barrel, while WTI was up $7.81, or 9.81%, at $89 a barrel.

Kuwait’s reduction in crude oil production will put pressure on crude prices, which analysts said could hit $100 per barrel as the security situation in the Middle East spirals.

Qatar Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi told the Financial Times in an interview published on Friday that his country expects all Gulf energy producers to shut down exports within weeks if the Iran conflict continues and drives oil to $150 a barrel.

Qatar halted its production of liquefied natural gas on Monday, as Iran continued to strike Gulf countries in retaliation for Israeli and US attacks.

Oil supply equal to about 20% of world demand usually passes through the Strait of Hormuz each day. With the Strait now effectively closed for seven days, that means about 140 million barrels of oil — equal to about 1.4 days of global demand — has been unable to reach the market.


Mawani Adds Hapag-Lloyd’s SE4 Service to Jeddah Islamic Port

Mawani Adds Hapag-Lloyd’s SE4 Service to Jeddah Islamic Port
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Mawani Adds Hapag-Lloyd’s SE4 Service to Jeddah Islamic Port

Mawani Adds Hapag-Lloyd’s SE4 Service to Jeddah Islamic Port

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) announced the addition of Hapag-Lloyd’s SE4 shipping service to Jeddah Islamic Port, a move designed to bolster the Kingdom's maritime competitiveness and global trade connectivity, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.

This new route links Jeddah to major international hubs, including Tianjin Xingang, Qingdao, Ningbo, and Shanghai in China, as well as Busan in Korea and Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia.

Boasting a capacity of up to 17,000 TEUs, the service aligns with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy to establish Saudi Arabia as a leading global logistics hub connecting three continents.

Jeddah Islamic Port continues to expand its operational footprint, utilizing its 62 multi-purpose berths and specialized terminals to support a total handling capacity of 130 million tons.