AMMAN — The National Petroleum Company (NPC) and the Kuwait Drilling Company on Thursday signed a strategic agreement to drill 80 new wells in the Risha gas field, at a total cost of $174 million, under a turnkey system over four years.

 

NPC Director-General Mohammad Khasawneh and Kuwait Drilling Company Chairman Abdulaziz Al Rashed signed the agreement.

 

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh, NPC Chairman Laith Qassem, and Deputy Director General Muhannad Radaideh attended the signing ceremony, according to an Energy Ministry statement.

 

Kharabsheh described the agreement as a “significant milestone” in Jordan’s economic development, noting that the project would drive growth in line with the Economic Modernisation Vision (EMV).

 

He added that the ministry continues to support exploration and development efforts across the Kingdom, with drilling operations now expanded to nine of the 12 targeted regions.

 

Rashed thanked the Jordanian government for its trust in the Kuwait Drilling Company, calling the agreement a “reflection of the strong ties between the two countries.”

 

He expressed hope for further collaboration on future projects to enhance production and Jordan’s energy security.

 

Qassem highlighted that the project builds on NPC’s ongoing work in the Risha gas field, including reservoir studies and new drilling operations aimed at boosting production and increasing success rates.

 

He noted that the Kuwait Drilling Company had recently completed 10 wells under the same system, achieving “strong” results.

 

NPC is also upgrading production infrastructure to handle additional gas volumes, ensuring facilities are prepared for the expected growth, the statement said.

 

In line with diversifying the use of natural gas, NPC has signed several gas sales agreements with companies that compress and liquefy Risha-produced gas for transport by specialised tankers across the Kingdom.

 

These agreements aim to broaden the domestic gas consumer base and support local industries reliant on natural gas, the statement read.

 

The project is financed by NPC through revenues from gas sales, alongside JD87 million in government support, as part of the company’s strategy to increase production and expand the contribution of domestic gas to the national energy mix.

 

The "ultimate" goal of NPC is to achieve self-sufficiency in natural gas and reduce imports.

 

NPC also seeks to encourage the development of petrochemical, processing, and mining industries that depend on natural gas, creating added value for the national economy.

 

The Kuwait Drilling Company won the tender after competing with several firms, securing the highest technical and financial ranking in the evaluation process.