Drilling work to start at Arash joint gas filed in Persian Gulf: Iran

“Comprehensive studies at joint Arash field have been completed by drilling an exploration well and conducting seismographic work,” said Javad Oji.

“Drilling work will soon get underway at this field with the installation of a jacket,” he explained.

“Although we are willing to hold talks and cooperate to develop joint fields, unilateral measures will not stop the implementation of the said project,” he noted.

This comes as Iran has denounced as “illegal” an agreement between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia on the Arash gas field.

“The Arash/al-Durra is a joint gas field between Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, parts of which are located in areas between Iran and Kuwait whose water boundaries have yet to be defined,” Tehran said recently.

“Based on international regulations and procedures, any attempt to exploit and develop this field would be subject to coordination and cooperation among the three states. So the recent move by Kuwait and Saudi Arabia within a cooperation document is illegal and goes against the ongoing procedures and the previously-held talks, having no impact on the legal status of the field and the Islamic Republic of Iran does not approve of it,” Iran highlighted.

Arash gas field in the Persian Gulf is jointly owned by Iran, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.