KUWAIT CITY, Feb 16, (KUNA): Minister of Oil, Electricity and Water Dr Khaled Al- Fadhel said on Sunday oil extraction, in testing phase, would begin at Al-Wafra and Al-Khafji fields Sunday and volume of the pumped crude would be gradually increased “to the normal level.” Al-Fadhel, in remarks to journalists on sidelines of inaugurating “the program for transformation to electronic services” at the ministry of oil, said the production of oil would be restored to the regular level by end of this year.

Volume of the joint output in the divided zone would reach, ahead of the year-end, nearly 550,000 barrels per day, he said, noting that the production at Al-Wafra has reached 140,000 per day, while the output at Al-Khafji reached 250,000 bpd – constituting Kuwait’s share.

He indicated at an article in the agreement and the memo of understanding between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia on starting studies on work at Al-Durra field, adding that this issue would warrant studies and debates at the official level in the State of Kuwait. Responding to a question on the oil strategy, minister Al-Fadhel said the strategy was approved by the Supreme Petroleum Council, noting that it aims at uplifting the output to four million barrels per day by 2040.