Kuwait, Saudi Arabia Invite Iran To Talks On Offshore Gas Field

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Wednesday invited Iran to negotiate to determine the eastern limit of an energy-rich, offshore area, the Saudi state-news agency SPA said.

The two Arab countries announced in March that they will develop the Durra natural gas field, which is adjacent to Iran’s offshore Arash field at the tip of the Persian Gulf. At the time, the Kuwaiti government said that Durra is "entirely a Kuwaiti and Saudi field" and that the issue to be settled with Iran is just the demarcation of the area offshore a neutral zone shared by Kuwait and Saudi Arabia lying adjacent to Iran's maritime zone.

Iran denounced the Kuwaiti announcement on March 26, saying a joint Saudi-Kuwaiti project would be illegal without Iran’s participation.

Foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said, "The Arash/Al-Durra gas field is a joint field between Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Parts of it are located in areas between Iran and Kuwait whose water boundaries have not been defined. The Islamic Republic of Iran also reserves the right to exploit the gas field".

The two Persian Gulf Arab monarchies reaffirmed their right to develop the Durra natural gas field, located in this area, the Saudi Press Agency added, citing a Saudi foreign ministry statement.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait expect to produce one billion standard cubic feet per day of gas and 84,000 barrels per day of condensates.