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Saudi Arabian–Kuwaiti neutral zone

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The Saudi Arabian–Kuwaiti neutral zone, also known as the Divided Zone, was an area of 5,770 km2 (2,230 sq mi) between the borders of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait that was left undefined when the border was established by the Uqair Convention of 2 December 1922.[1][2]

The Saudi–Kuwait Neutral Zone
(2 December 1922 – 18 January 1970)
(Established by the Uqair Convention of December 1922)

According to Daniel Yergin, "The Neutral Zone was the two thousand or so square miles of barren desert that had been carved out by the British in 1922 in the course of drawing a border between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In order to accommodate the Bedouins, who wandered back and forth between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and for whom nationality was a hazy concept, it was agreed that the two countries would share sovereignty over the area."[3]

In the area, which was later called the "Neutral Zone" or "Divided Zone", the Uqair Convention stated that "the Government of Najd and Kuwait will share equal rights until through the good offices of the Government of Great Britain a further agreement is made between Najd and Kuwait concerning it".

However, there was little interest in a more definitive settlement in the so-called "Neutral Zone" until the discovery, in 1938, of oil in the Burgan (Burqan) of Kuwait. With the possibility of oil discovery within the "Neutral Zone" itself, concessions were granted in 1948–1949 by each government to Aminoil and Pacific Western Oil Corporation. Oil was discovered in March 1953.[3] Later the two countries exploited the oil under a joint operating agreement.

In 1957, Saudi Arabia signed a concession agreement with the Japanese-owned Arab Oil Co., and Kuwait signed in 1958. That concession expired in 2000.[4] The company made its first offshore discovery in January 1960.[3]: 505–507 

The partitioning negotiations commenced shortly after the rulers of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia met and decided, in October 1960, that the Neutral Zone should be divided. On 7 July 1965, the two governments signed an agreement (which took effect on 25 July 1966) to partition the Neutral Zone adjoining their respective territories. A demarcation agreement dividing the Neutral Zone was signed on 17 December 1967 but did not formally take effect until the exchange of instruments and signing which took place in Kuwait on 18 December 1969.[5] Ratification followed on 18 January 1970, and the agreement was published in the Kuwaiti Official Gazette on 25 January 1970.[6]

The zone was never assigned an ISO 3166 code since it was partitioned before the adoption of ISO 3166 in 1974.

The area was quickly, but briefly, overrun during the First Gulf War by the Iraqi forces in 1991 after they invaded and occupied Kuwait; however, Coalition forces composed of American and Saudi contingents repelled the Iraqi offensive and liberated the area and the rest of Kuwait.[7]

Despite the zone being partitioned half a century ago, oil pumping is still done by agreements.[clarification needed][8][9]

In December 2022, Saudi Aramco and Kuwait Gulf Oil Company signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop the Durra gas field, located in the neutral zone. The development aims at producing 280,000,000 cubic metres (9.9×109 cu ft) of natural gas and 84,000 barrels of LNG per day.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ El Ghoneimy, Mohammed Talaat (1 July 1966). "The Legal Status of the Saudi-Kuwaiti Neutral Zone" (PDF). International and Comparative Law Quarterly (ICLQ). 15 (3). London, United Kingdom of Great Britain: British Institute of International and Comparative Law/Cambridge University Press: 690–717. ISSN 0020-5893. JSTOR 756765. OCLC 1753375. Retrieved 9 July 2021 – via JSTOR.
  2. ^ Hosni, Sayed M. (1 October 1966). "The partition of the Neutral Zone". American Journal of International Law. 60 (4). American Society of International Law (ASIL)/Cambridge University Press: 735–749. doi:10.2307/2196925. ISSN 0002-9300. JSTOR 00029300. S2CID 147323918.
  3. ^ a b c Yergin, Daniel (1 December 2008). "Chapter 22: The Age of Discovery". The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power (3rd ed.). New York City, New York, United States of America: Free Press (Simon & Schuster). pp. 437–445. ISBN 9781439110126. OCLC 22381448. Retrieved 9 July 2021 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Al-Naimi, Ali Ibrahim (1 November 2016). Out of the Desert: My Journey From Nomadic Bedouin to the Heart of Global Oil (1st ed.). London, United Kingdom of Great Britain: Penguin Books. pp. 173, 234–236. ISBN 9780241978399. Retrieved 9 July 2021 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "KSA Kuwait 1969". Archived from the original on 2005-01-09. Retrieved 2005-12-02.
  6. ^ Barson, E.S. (15 September 1970). Hodgson, R.D. (ed.). International Boundary Study No. 103 — September 15, 1970: Kuwait — Saudi Arabia Boundary (PDF). Office of the Geographer (Directorate for Functional Research, Bureau of Intelligence and Research) (Report). Vol. 103. Washington, D.C., United States of America: United States Department of State. pp. 1–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  7. ^ Titus, James (1 September 1996). Kelly, Jay W. (ed.). The Battle of Khafji: An Overview and Preliminary Analysis (PDF). College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research, and Education (CADRE), Air University, United States Air Force (Report). Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Air University (United States). pp. 3–39. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 January 2020.
  8. ^ Muzoriwa, Kudakwashe (16 February 2020). Mullaly, William; Rodrigues, Nigel (eds.). "Kuwait, Saudi to resume oil output from neutral zone this month". Islamic Business & Finance. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: CPI Financial. Bloomberg News. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  9. ^ Meddaugh, William Scott; Griest, Stewart; Barge, David Lee (15 March 2009). Tan, Michelle; Boyd, Michelle; Smith, Glenda; Rubin, Mark A.; Roodhart, Leo (eds.). Quantifying Uncertainty in Carbonate Reservoirs - Humma Marrat Reservoir, Partitioned Neutral Zone (PNZ), Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. SPE Middle East Oil and Gas Show and Conference. Vol. XVI. Manama, Bahrain: Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi:10.2118/120102-MS. ISBN 978-1-55563-215-1. Retrieved 9 July 2021 – via OnePetro.
  10. ^ "Aramco Gulf Operations, Kuwait's KGOC agree to develop Durra gas field, Saudi news agency reports". Reuters. 2022-12-11. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
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