OREANDA-NEWS.   Up to seven percent of the environmental fuel project have "been accomplished," said the Chief Executive Officer of the Kuwaiti National Petroleum Company.

The company has drawn up "an explicit plan to execute this project," said Mohammad Al-Mutairi, in remarks he made on sidelines of the annual Ramadan meeting, held by the national crude umbrella establishment, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), last night.

He indicated that regular meetings are being held to follow up on the venture.

Regarding the new Al-Zor oil refinery, he said tendering would conclude in October. The company, he said, would await the biddings and "we hope that the winning coalitions will be chosen in February 2015." Five international coalitions have qualified to take part in the bidding, he said, explaining that three coalitions would be chosen, and each would be in charge of a sector of the venture.

The environmental fuel project and the planned new oil refinery are among the mega national projects, aimed at lifting the output capacity by 1.4 million barrels per day. Their cost estimates stand at KD 8.6 billion, including KD four billion for the new refinery and KD 4.6 billion for the fuel venture execution of which is forecast to end by 2018. Commenting on the recently-approved indemnity law for the oil sector staff, he said work hours in the sector range between 40 and 48 per week.

Work duration in the production sectors may reach 24 hours per day thus personnel must be present round the clock and this in turn warrants existence of the shifts' system. Such labor is tiring as compared to the work in other departments, he re-stressed.

He cautioned against dealing with the oil sector on equal bases with the other government departments, stressing on necessity of keeping incentives for job seekers. This law will be in effect early next year but will be applied to new comers.