KUWAIT CITY, Dec 2, (KUNA): The rates of emissions resulting from gas burning emissions in the Kuwaiti oilfields reached less than 2 percent this year, Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) Chairman and Managing Director Sami Al-Rushaid said here Thursday.
Al-Rushaid said in a statement to KUNA today on the sidelines of marking Arabian Gulf marine environment cleanup campaign in the presence of US Ambassador to Kuwait Deborah Jones and UN Development Programme Associate in Kuwait Mai Al-Essa that hitting such low rates is a feat added to Kuwait’s efforts in conserving environment.
He also made clear that KOC primarily aimed at reaching a burning rate of 2.3 percent this year, though it managed to reach a lower rate thanks to the efforts of its staff, saying that KOC current goal is to reach less than one percent rate of gas burning in the next two years.
On the topic of gas leakages in Ahmadi city, Al-Rushaid said that KOC is maintaining its efforts in cooperation with other bodies within the governmental team that was formed to deal with the problem.
Further, he also said that KOC will offer necessary technical support, adding that gas readings are steadily improving and that private global consultant in this respect will come to Kuwait soon.
Regarding a call for making use of carbon dioxide in injecting oil output fields, Al-Rushaid said that carbon dioxide is used for increasing output in the fields which is in need for higher oil levels through pressures.
However, he said that Kuwaiti oil fields did not reach yet the stage that requires pressure and raising technique, noting that KOC is conducting practical experiments in this respect to be ready if some of its fields needed such technique.
As for the Arabian Gulf marine environment cleanup campaign, Al-Rushaid said that KOC carried out such activity for the fourth consecutive year in cooperation with several bodies with the aim of cleaning up beaches, conserving marine and beach environment and spreading the culture of awareness in addition to making children of primary schools participate in the drive.
He added that health, safety and environment conservation have a priority in the policy set by the KOC, and there is also a focus on environment in all the activities carried out by KOC, “and today’s activity is an awareness and social one.” Al-Rushaid also referred to main environmental efforts made by KOC that concentrate on forestall marine oil leakages, and even if any leakage takes place, KOC swiftly deal with it in what lessens the environmental harms.
As for US Ambassador to Kuwait Deborah Jones, she expressed her happiness over participating in the activity, telling KUNA that it feels the interest of Kuwaiti institutions in environment in what protects Kuwait’s future in all aspects, especially the economic one.
Jones added that, “what is remarkable about Kuwait is the multiplicity of environmental educational campaigns and the participation of children from all ages in them, a matter which helps create an environmental culture in the society,” expressing her hopes that this interest will increase over the coming years.
On her part, UN Development Programme Associate in Kuwait Mai Al-Essa said that UN seventh Millennium Development Goal is related to environmental development, and this is the cause behind UN participation in such events, saying that this is the second time in which the UN takes part in this event.