22 Mar Kuwait Oil Company declares ‘state of emergency’ following oil spill
The Kuwait Oil Company has declared a state of emergency following an oil leak in the west of the country, earlier this week. Teams have been dispatched to determine the source of the leak and contain the incident.
“No injuries have occurred as a result of the leak and production has not been affected, [the leak] occurred on land but not in a residential area,” said Qusai Al-Amer, company spokesperson, talking to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Nearly 90% of Kuwait’s government revenues are sourced from the bustling oil industry. The country, which is a key member within the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is currently producing about 2.7 million barrels of oil per day.
The Kuwait Oil Company has previously reported oil leaks in its fields in both 2016 and 2020.
The damage of the oil leak that took place on Monday 20th March 2023 is yet to be fully understood, especially with regard to long-term damages to the natural landscape in the region. Kuwait has refused to detail the exact location or full extent of the spill as yet.
Recently, there has been a call for enhanced safety procedures to take place within sites such as those owned by the Kuwait Oil Company.