Kuwait Times, Thu, May 30, 2024 | Dhu al-Qadah 22, 1445
Al-Zour Refinery inauguration a milestone in Kuwait’s oil sector
Kuwait:
Under the presence and patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh
Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the oil sector inaugurated the official
opening of Al-Zour Refinery, marking the commencement of its full operations on
Wednesday.Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil Dr Imad Muhammad Al-Ateeqi
conveyed the privilege felt by the Kuwaiti oil sector in hosting His Highness
the Amir at the event, while expressing heartfelt wishes for his protection and
prosperity.
By inaugurating Al-Zour refinery, Al-Ateeqi stated that the oil sector succeeded
in reaching an unprecedented refining capacity of one million eight hundred and
thirty thousand barrels per day. This capacity, as he noted, is distributed
among six oil refineries, three of which are inside Kuwait: Mina Al-Ahmadi, Mina
Abdullah, and Al-Zour, which produce together, 1.415 million barrels per day,
and three outside it, which are (Duqm) in the Sultanate of Oman, (Nghe Son) in
Vietnam, and (Milazzo) in Italy, of which Kuwait’s share of its total production
is about 415,000 barrels per day.
Meeting international
standards
During his speech, Al-Ateeqi pointed to Al-Zour refinery as one of the most
important projects of the development plan in the State of Kuwait, particularly
as one of the key pillars of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation’s 2040 strategic
plan. The plan aims to produce high-quality oil derivatives that comply with
international environmental standards and requirements, while also supplying
clean fuel to local power stations, addressing the escalating demand for
electrical energy fueled by population growth and urban expansion in the
country.
Bringing the development vision of “New Kuwait 2035” into reality, he stated,
“this pioneering project contributes to increasing the profitability of our
products, opening new global markets for these products, and enhancing the
leadership position of the State of Kuwait as a major global energy provider.”
Additionally, he highlighted the project’s contribution to creating job
opportunities for national employees, with 667 individuals, recent graduates
holding university degrees and diplomas, being engaged in the completion of this
monumental national asset.
Amid the global intense competition in the oil sector, fast paced developments,
along with the ongoing challenges, Al-Ateeqi stressed that the sector is giving
its full potential to remain competitive and maintain Kuwait’s position as one
of the most important countries producing oil and its derivatives. This, as he
mentioned, has been achieved through the sector’s commitment to investing in
modern technologies and the development of the capabilities and skills of human
capital that has long contributed to the country’s wealth.
The acting CEO of the Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company Engineer,
Wadha Ahmed Al-Khatib, noted the importance of this day as it celebrates the
full operation of which is considered one of the largest refining projects in
the world, with a refining capacity of 615 thousand barrels per day. She stated
that this project, along with the environmental fuel project at the Mina
Al-Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries, marks the beginning of a new era in the
progress of the Kuwaiti oil sector. This advancement enables Kuwait Petroleum
Corporation and its subsidiaries to expand their export and marketing
capabilities, allowing them to access new international markets, Khatib added.
Where Efficiency Meets
Eco-Friendly Practices
Describing Al-Zour refinery, she highlighted its high flexibility in refining
operations. It is designed to process Kuwaiti oils of varying specifications,
making it a vital strategic hub for handling heavy oils. The refinery has the
capability to produce high-quality oil derivatives, including jet fuel, diesel,
chemical naphtha, and low-sulfur fuel oil, added Khatib. These products,
according to her, are exported to more than 30 regional and international
countries via the refinery’s sea island, while also meeting the local power
plants’ need for low-sulfur fuel oil for electricity production.
According to Khatib, the refinery also contains the largest complex of units for
removing sulfur from waste oil from the atmospheric distillation unit in the
world. Thus, the refinery raises the refining capacity of the country’s
refineries from 800 thousand barrels per day to one million and 415 thousand
barrels per day.
Additionally, Al-Zour refinery is designed to utilize treated water for
industrial and irrigation purposes. It features special stations to monitor air
quality and employs advanced furnaces and boilers to reduce emissions. This is
part of an integrated environmental system aimed at controlling and monitoring
environmental impact, she explained.
To fulfill Kuwait’s commitment in achieving carbon neutrality by the year 2050,
she concluded by noting that the oil sector is keen to play an active and
influential role within global efforts in the field of energy transformation,
contributing to confronting the challenges of climate change and environmental
protection.