Kuwait Makes Three Oil Discoveries

An oil rig drilling a well at sunrise, owned by Parsley Energy Inc. near Midland, Texas, U.S., May 3, 2017. Picture taken May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder
An oil rig drilling a well at sunrise, owned by Parsley Energy Inc. near Midland, Texas, U.S., May 3, 2017. Picture taken May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder
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Kuwait Makes Three Oil Discoveries

An oil rig drilling a well at sunrise, owned by Parsley Energy Inc. near Midland, Texas, U.S., May 3, 2017. Picture taken May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder
An oil rig drilling a well at sunrise, owned by Parsley Energy Inc. near Midland, Texas, U.S., May 3, 2017. Picture taken May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder

Kuwait's Minister of Oil and Minister of Electricity and Water Dr. Mohammad Al-Faris announced Monday the discovery of two new oil fields for the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) in different regions of the country, in addition to the discovery of the extension for the northern part of the Great Burgan field within the framework of the development operations.

In a statement to Kuwait's State News Agency, AI-Faris said that the first discovery was in a field northwest of the country, while the second in Al-Qash'aniya north kuwait.

The discovery acquires great economic importance as it sheds light on the large undiscovered areas in the western and northwestern part of Kuwait, which contribute directly to increasing oil reserves and production capacity, according to KOCT's 2040 strategic plan, he said.

Al-Faris also noted the two new discoveries add strategic importance to the northern part of Kuwait, as the area has not been explored before.

A conventional oil field was also discovered in the north of the Great Burgan field, as oil flowed in commercial quantities from several wells drilled during 2020 to determine the extent of the field at a daily production rate of more than 2,000 barrels, according to Al-Faris.

The results reached give KOC access to easy and low-cost reserves, which supports the company's efforts to maintain its competitive advantage between countries and oil companies, indicating that the company will drill new wells in the discovered fields to boost production quantities, he said.

Al-Faris praised the success of KOC in achieving these three discoveries in 2020 despite all the conditions that the country faced in light of the emerging covid-1 outbreak.



Saudi Minister of Finance Approves 2025 Annual Borrowing Plan

A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Minister of Finance Approves 2025 Annual Borrowing Plan

A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Abdullah Al-Jadaan approved on Sunday the Annual Borrowing Plan for the fiscal year 2025, following its endorsement by the Board of Directors of the National Debt Management Center.

The plan highlights key developments in public debt for 2024, initiatives related to local debt markets, and the funding plan and its guiding principles for 2025, in addition to the 2025 issuances’ calendar for the Local Saudi Sukuk Issuance Program in Saudi Riyal.

According to the plan, the projected funding needs for 2025 are estimated at approximately SAR139 billion. The amount is intended to cover the anticipated budget deficit of SAR101 billion for the fiscal year 2025, as outlined in the Ministry of Finance’s Official Budget Statement, and the principals’ repayment of the debts maturing in the current year, 2025, amounting to approximately SAR38 billion.

To boost the sustainability of the Kingdom's access to various debt markets and broaden the investor base, Saudi Arabia aims in 2025 to continue diversifying local and international financing channels to efficiently meet funding needs.

This will be achieved through the issuance of sovereign debt instruments at fair pricing, guided by well-defined and robust risk management frameworks.

Additionally, the Kingdom plans to benefit from market opportunities by executing private transactions that can promote economic growth, such as export credit agency financing, infrastructure development project financing, capital expenditure (CAPEX) financing, and exploring tapping into new markets and currencies based on market conditions.