KBR awarded FEED for Kuwait’s South Ratqa heavy oil project

HOUSTON, July 30, 2025 – KBR has been awarded a FEED contract by Kuwait’s upstream company KOC for Phase 1 of the Heavy Oil Development Program in the South Ratqa field, KBR announced on Tuesday.

KBR will deliver FEED and related services aimed at optimising operational efficiency in the field. The work is part of KOC’s wider strategy to reinforce Kuwait’s energy security and invest towards long-term, sustained oil production.

Located in North Kuwait, the South Ratqa field is a central asset in Kuwait’s ambitions to increase production of heavy oil, which is more costly to extract than lighter crudes due to its higher viscosity. Current production capacity at the field stands at approximately 60,000 bopd, which KOC plans to ramp up to 120,000 bopd by 2032.

KOC began the current programme in H1 2019, with the first exports of heavy oil to global markets achieved in early 2020. The field’s phased development calls for the drilling of hundreds of wells in separate stages and the collection of large amounts of operational data to tackle the difficulty of the extraction process.

“We are honoured by KOC’s longstanding trust in KBR and are committed to supporting this strategic project that aims to transform the future of Kuwait’s energy security,” said KBR president Jay Ibrahim.

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