KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait has renewed its invitation to Iran for talks on their sea borders after Iran expressed readiness to begin drilling in a disputed gas field in the resource-rich Gulf. The field, known as Arash in Iran and Dorra in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, has been a subject of contention between the countries for several decades.
Kuwait, along with Saudi Arabia, maintains that it holds “exclusive rights” to the maritime field after the neighboring nations agreed to joint development last year. In a statement, the Kuwaiti foreign ministry emphasized that the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are the sole owners of the natural wealth in the Al-Dorra field.
In response to Iran’s plans for drilling, Kuwait has urged Iran to engage in negotiations on the demarcation of maritime borders. Last year, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement for the field’s development despite objections from Iran, which deemed the deal “illegal.”
Iran Ready to Start Drilling in Disputed Gas Field
Mohsen Khojsteh Mehr, managing director of the National Iranian Oil Company, recently announced the readiness to start drilling in the joint Arash oil field, stating that considerable resources have been allocated for the field’s development plan.
The dispute over the Dorra field traces back to the 1960s when Iran and Kuwait awarded offshore concessions to Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (predecessor to BP) and Royal Dutch Shell, respectively. The concessions overlapped in the northern part of the field, which is estimated to have substantial recoverable reserves.
Efforts to resolve the dispute have been ongoing for many years, with Iran and Kuwait engaging in unsuccessful talks over their disputed maritime border, which is rich in natural gas. Saudi Arabia is also involved in the dispute due to its shared maritime gas and oil resources with Kuwait in the area.
Iran’s drilling activities in the field back in 2001 prompted Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to reach a maritime border agreement, stipulating joint development of the offshore zone. The recent rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, resulting in the resumption of ties after seven years of enmity, has raised concerns and heightened the importance of resolving the gas field dispute.
