Authorities take necessary steps to make use of large oil reservoirs in natural reserve
Several firms present bids to renovate Souq Safafeer
KUWAIT CITY, June 23: Relevant bodies have started taking necessary steps to make use of the large oil reservoirs located in Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Natural Reserve, reports Al-Rai daily.
In the coming week, an agreement will be signed between the Volunteering Work Center and Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) in this regard in Bait Othman Museum.
According to a member o f Volunteering Work Center Anwar Muhammad Al-Rifai, the center intends to sign the agreement because it supervises and directs the Sabah Al-Ahmed Natural Reserve.
Sheikha Amthal Al-Ahmed will represent the center and sign the agreement on Wednesday.
The agreement will include cooperation between the two parties for the protection of the wildlife in the reserve especially after the start of drilling oil wells.
Al-Rifai stressed the importance of the reserve, indicating that its size is more than half of Bahrain.
He said the reserve will witness the launch of a number of varied projects including a wildlife museum that will be constructed at the entrance of
the reserve.
It is worth mentioning that the estimated production from a single oilfield is 100,000 barrels per day. About 100 oil wells are expected to be drilled gradually.
Meanwhile, several local companies have presented bids to renovate Souq Safafeer on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
The daily noted Kuwaiti contractors have offered to rebuild the old metal souq in
the capital as an investment for 10 years before handing it over to the Public Authority for Industry (PAI).
It said several firms are bidding for the project following a decision to demolish the market, which was built in 1958 as one of the country’s popular metalwork and handicraft hubs. The project involves rebuilding and renovation of the traditional market to include new shops, restaurants and other facilities, said the paper.