Kuwait Oil Company
Kuwait Oil Company is an oil company headquartered in Al Ahmadi, Kuwait. It is a subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, a government-owned holding company.
As of 2024, Kuwait's oil production is approximately 2.4 million barrels per day, largely in line with its OPEC+ quota, while its sustainable production capacity is estimated at 2.9 million bpd. The country has a long-term strategic goal to increase its production capacity to 4 million bpd by 2040.
Kuwait nationalized its oil industry in 1975. KOC holds the sole rights to explore, produce, and develop oil and gas resources within the state of Kuwait. Kuwait's oil reserves are estimated to be around 101.5 billion barrels.
History
The Kuwait Oil Company Limited was established on 23 December 1934 as a joint venture between the Anglo-Persian Oil Company and the American Gulf Oil Company. The company began drilling operations in 1936.Oil was first discovered in 1938 at the Burgan field, which remains one of the largest oil fields in the world. Subsequent discoveries were made in Magwa, Ahmadi, Raudhatain, Sabriya, and Minagish. The first commercial export of crude oil commenced in 1946.
During the Gulf War, as Iraqi forces withdrew from Kuwait in 1991, they set fire to over 700 Kuwaiti oil wells in an act of environmental sabotage. The fires burned for months, causing catastrophic environmental damage, until the last well was capped on 6 November 1991. To address the long-term consequences, KOC and the Kuwaiti government established the Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program in 2013. In 2023, KOC signed contracts worth $1.73 billion to expand KERP's soil remediation efforts.
| Year | Oil | Gas | Dry | Feet |
| 1937 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - |
| 1947 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 23,818 |
| 1948 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 116,112 |
| 1949 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 246,773 |
| 1950 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 61,188 |
| 1951 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 89,985 |
| 1952 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 98,555 |
| 1953 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 73,100 |
| 1954 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 56,638 |
| Year | Burgan Magwa Ahmadi | Raudhatain | Sabriyah | Gudair | Minagish | Bahrah |
| 1946 | 5,931 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1947 | 16,225 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1948 | 46,547 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1949 | 89,930 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1950 | 125,722 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1951 | 204,910 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1952 | 273,433 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1953 | 314,592 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1954 | 347,319 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1955 | 398,494 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1956 | 399,871 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1957 | 416,045 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1958 | 509,720 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1959 | 504,855 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1960 | 559,100 | 35,200 | - | - | - | - |
| 1961 | 553,926 | 41,900 | 1,400 | - | - | - |
| 1962 | 620,000 | 47,200 | 2,100 | - | - | - |
| 1963 | 647,700 | 48,700 | 3,500 | 5,600 | - | - |
| 1964 | 682,200 | 53,700 | 14,100 | 4,200 | 20,600 | - |
| 1965 | 693,200 | 56,900 | 17,000 | 4,900 | 19,900 | - |
| 1966 | 716,800 | 61,400 | 22,600 | 4,900 | 24,800 | - |
| 1967 | 723,800 | 59,900 | 22,600 | 4,900 | 25,500 | - |
| 1968 | 759,700 | 71,200 | 26,900 | 4,900 | 23,400 | - |
| 1969 | 777,600 | 77,200 | 29,700 | 33,500 | 20,600 | 1,400 |
| 1970 | 806,500 | 77,900 | 60,200 | 32,800 | 19,300 | 1,400 |
| 1971 | 858,700 | 81,600 | 71,200 | 34,200 | 20,700 | 1,400 |
| 1972 | 882,000 | 83,900 | 74,300 | 34,900 | 21,300 | 1,400 |
| 1973 | 809,200 | 76,400 | 67,900 | 32,800 | 19,300 | 1,400 |
| 1974 | 665,100 | 77,000 | 45,000 | 25,000 | 18,500 | 0 |
| 1975 | 530,400 | 78,500 | 25,000 | 19,000 | 18,000 | 0 |
| 1976 | 574,100 | 80,453 | 14,689 | 13,024 | 17,715 | 0 |
| 1977 | 533,860 | 70,644 | 14,825 | 12,637 | 18,028 | 0 |
| 1978 | 552,700 | 90,200 | 32,300 | 8,300 | 9,600 | 0 |
| 1979 | 618,130 | 128,369 | 40,918 | 14,357 | 7,419 | 0 |
| 1980 | 398,000 | 70,000 | 25,300 | 7,000 | 6,000 | 0 |
Operations
KOC's operations are focused on the exploration, drilling, and production of oil and gas within Kuwait. The company manages the nation's key oilfields, including the supergiant Burgan field. KOC produces several grades of crude oil, including Kuwait Export Crude, Kuwait Super Light Crude, and developing its heavy crude oil from the Lower Fars field.Strategic Goals and Recent Projects
KOC is implementing a long-term strategy to significantly boost its production capacity and diversify its energy sources.- Production Growth: The central goal is to raise oil production capacity to 4 million bpd by 2040. This involves enhancing oil recovery from mature fields and developing new reservoirs, including heavy oil and offshore resources.
- Offshore Exploration: In late 2023, KOC launched its first offshore drilling campaign in decades, deploying rigs in the Persian Gulf to explore for oil and gas reserves. This marks a strategic pivot to unlock new sources of production.
- Durra Gas Field: KOC is proceeding with plans to develop the Durra gas field, located in the neutral zone shared with Saudi Arabia. This project is critical for meeting Kuwait's growing domestic gas demand but is subject to regional geopolitical disputes.
- Renewable Energy: To diversify its energy mix, KOC is collaborating with the Ministry of Electricity and Water on large-scale renewable energy projects. In May 2024, they announced a plan for a 1-gigawatt solar energy project, seeking a global operator to build and manage the facility under a long-term power purchase agreement.