Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) announced that Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has completed an engineering project aimed at lowering the groundwater table in salt flat (sabkha) areas, a longstanding challenge hindering exploration and production activities since the discovery of the Burgan oil field in the 1930s. The initiative focused on reducing the groundwater level from approximately half a meter to around three meters at a key site within the Magwa oil field.

This technical development is seen as a significant step forward, enabling complex drilling operations and intensive production activities to be carried out more efficiently and safely. According to KPC, the project also eliminated logistical challenges that previously caused delays in project timelines.

The accomplishment was achieved by deploying a suite of advanced technological and engineering solutions. These included the redesign of directional wells for both groundwater extraction and injection, optimized for high dynamic efficiency, as well as the development of integrated digital operational software and intelligent control systems for modern electric submersible pumps.

Sources familiar with the project indicated that these innovations generated substantial cost savings, exceeding 90 percent compared to previous site preparation and rehabilitation efforts. The approach has enhanced overall operational efficiency, particularly in drilling rig performance, and facilitated the successful launch of production from the first two oil wells developed in the reclaimed area.

Plans are underway to expand this technical and engineering methodology to other operational zones, aiming to boost oil output from the Burgan and Wara reservoirs. These reservoirs remain critical to Kuwait’s oil production, serving as key assets in the country’s southern and eastern regions.