Upstream oil and gas operator Al-Khafji Joint Operations (KJO) has more than 20 projects currently ongoing to develop the Khafji field in the Divided Zone, which Saudi Arabia and Kuwait share. KJO is a joint venture of the Saudi Aramco subsidiary Aramco Gulf Operations Company and Kuwait Gulf Oil Company (KGOC), a subsidiary of state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). According to industry sources, the projects are part of a strategy to try to return production from the fields to 350,000 barrels a day (b/d).  KJO has a range of projects. They’ve got offshore production with onshore facilities, and there’s a range of upgrade, modification and enhancement projects. It’s a significant programme of works. The source said that KJO is hoping to hit the 350,000 b/d target “in a few years”. In November, the field was producing around 300,000 b/d. The Khafji field was first discovered by the Japanese consortium Arabian Oil Company (AOC) in 1960. AOC was engaged in exploration, development and production at the offshore Divided Zone under concession agreements with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. It brought the Khafji field into production in 1961 and continued to operate it until the expiry of the concession agreement with Saudi Arabia in 2000. AOC used water injection to maintain reservoir pressure in the 1970s and introduced artificial lifting technology in 1989 to enhance oil recovery at the field. KGOC took over Kuwait’s share in the neutral zone in January 2003. The Khafji offshore operations span approximately 7,000 square kilometres within the neutral zone. The field has been developed with 11 offshore platforms, including a central gathering platform. The majority of the gas produced at the field is used to increase the reservoir pressure. Khafji Joint Operations also uses electric submersible pumps at some of its production wells to enhance oil recovery. The oil produced at the offshore field is sent through a network of 28”, 36” and 42” subsea pipelines to an onshore oil processing facility. Other onshore facilities include a 90MW gas-fired power plant, two gas-receiving stations, a water treatment plant and a desalter unit. The offshore facilities receive power supply through a 40kV submarine cable system. (ICE RIYADH)

Fonte notizia: Meed