Kuwait’s flagship Lower Fars heavy oil project began producing crude oil from the Ratqa field on 24 February. Output reached 38,000 b/d at the end of May (MEES, 28 February), Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) CEO Emad Sultan says. Speaking this week to Kuwaiti state news agency Kuna, Mr Sultan said that the first shipment of heavy crude oil was exported on 22 May and consisted of 500,000 barrels. A second, 700,000 barrel, cargo was exported in June. The plan is to hit full 60,000 b/d capacity by September. With 15,000 b/d of heavy oil also coming from the nearby Umm Niqa field, Kuwait’s heavy oil capacity will then stand at 75,000 b/d.