The latest in a series of unexplained leaks

KUWAIT: A man walks along the coastline in Kuwait City. Kuwait is dealing with another crude oil spill off its southern coast, state news agency reported yesterday, the latest in a series of unexplained leaks in recent months. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

DUBAI: Major oil exporter Kuwait is dealing with another crude oil spill off its southern coast, state news agency KUNA said yesterday, the latest in a series of unexplained leaks in the Gulf Arab state in recent months. KUNA said the latest spill has been detected in the Ras Al-Zour area, where Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) is building the Middle East's largest oil refinery with a capacity of 615,000 barrels per day at a cost of $11.5 billion in contracts. Kuwait's Environment Public Authority is monitoring the spill and is working with Kuwait Oil Company and marine authorities to control it, KUNA said, adding the size of the leak was still being assessed.

OPEC member Kuwait reported a leak in the same area last month. That was followed by another spill at Abu Fatira, about 15 miles south of the capital Kuwait City, spanning one nautical mile. There was also a limited spill from a pipeline at Kuwait's northern Al-Ratqa field in July. Kuwait's Oil Minister said last month that neighboring Saudi Arabia and Iran had said they had not detected any oil spillage in their waters from the marine leaks.

KPI signs deal

In another development, Kuwait Petroleum International Company (KPI) has signed a contract to provide Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) with oils worth KD 4.2 million ($13.9 million). The contract will equip KNPC with its needs of various types of oils, it said in a statement. KNPC CEO Mohammad Ghazi Al-Mutairi, who signed the deal on behalf of his company said that, during this three-year contract, KPI will offer KNPC with five million liters of oils. He went on to praise the quality of the sister company's oils. Meanwhile, KPI CEO Bekheet Al-Rasheedi, who also signed the deal, expressed his happiness over the cooperation between both companies. Al-Rasheedi vowed that his company would offer a product which conforms to the highest international standards. KNPC and KPI are affiliated to state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). - Agencies