35th Anniversary of Extinguishing Kuwait's Last Oil Well After the Invasion: An Eternal National Epic

As the 35th anniversary of extinguishing the last burning oil well in Kuwait approaches, coinciding with November 6, 1991, this occasion emerges as an eternal historical milestone in the national memory and a symbol embodying Kuwait’s firm will and its capacity to overcome hardships and challenges, no matter how great.

Following the brutal Iraqi invasion, Kuwait faced one of the largest environmental and economic disasters in modern history, as the hand of defeated criminality set fire to hundreds of oil wells, causing widespread devastation and severe repercussions affecting the environment, the economy, and daily life.

On this day in 1991, Kuwait celebrated the extinguishing of the last burning oil well in the Burgan field in the Ahmadi region, under the patronage and presence of the late Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God have mercy on him. This marked the culmination of immense efforts undertaken by specialized Kuwaiti teams and other friendly countries over several months to extinguish the wells and mitigate the consequences of one of the worst environmental disasters the world has witnessed.

The tragedy of the burning wells began on February 21, 1991, as the invading Iraqi forces retreated, taking various forms in key areas of Kuwait’s oil fields, including Ahmadi, Burgan, Al-Maqwa, Al-Manaqish, and Al-Wafra. These areas also witnessed what became known as oil lakes, which had extremely dangerous effects on the environment and human life.

The ignition of the wells was accompanied by widespread smoke and fire spreading in all directions, along with the detonation of oil gathering centers connecting the wells to export terminals, further intensifying the region’s flames and destruction.

Large quantities of fire residues (soot) fell on Kuwait, covering plants and buildings, leaving serious impacts on flora and fauna. The fires also turned day into pitch-black darkness, while a drop in temperatures by approximately four degrees Celsius caused the death of many marine organisms.

The invading Iraqi forces blew up 737 Kuwaiti oil wells before their withdrawal. Kuwait’s losses amounted to between 4 and 6 million barrels of crude oil per day, with daily economic losses estimated at around $120 million, excluding environmental and health damages.

The negative effects of these fires on oil facilities across various regions of the country were extensive, requiring a long period for rehabilitation. The material losses resulting from the fires also impacted the global economy for seven months.

The destructive effects of burning the wells did not stop at Kuwait’s borders but extended to several countries. Smoke from the wells reached Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, the Sultanate of Oman, and other Central Asian countries, accompanied by black rains laden with oil and gas.

The Kuwaiti firefighting team, which took on the task of extinguishing the wells, earned recognition from specialized foreign teams and the world for its challenge, determination, and heroic role. Despite being a relatively inexperienced team in this field, it contributed to extinguishing 41 wells. More than 10,000 people, distributed across 27 teams from various countries, participated in extinguishing the wells.

Following the liberation of Kuwait, efforts by various relevant authorities began to reconstruct the oil sector by establishing specialized committees to assess the damage inflicted on the sector’s facilities and determine appropriate solutions to address them and other resulting challenges, as well as to meet global market demands for Kuwaiti oil.

A large number of scientists and environmental experts flocked to Kuwait to study the repercussions of these fires. Seminars, conferences, and discussion panels were held in several countries to discuss ways to save the environment and understand the future impacts of this disaster.

The initial plans for rebuilding the oil sector and its diverse facilities were based on two main objectives: extinguishing the oil wells as soon as possible, and preparing some wells for a rapid return to production, along with repairing certain surface installations.

Efforts to extinguish the wells involved engaging with approximately 30 global companies specializing in the reconstruction of oil facilities damaged by fires and other factors. Several companies with distinguished expertise in this field were selected.

The number of equipment pieces and vehicles involved in extinguishing the burning oil wells reached around 5,800, representing the world’s second-largest non-military equipment fleet and the largest fleet assembled in a single location.

Extinguishing the last oil well was not merely the end of an environmental disaster, but a declaration of victory for willpower and determination, and the beginning of a new phase of reconstruction and recovery.

Commemorating this national anniversary serves to recall one of the most prominent chapters of Kuwaiti resilience and to highlight the exceptional efforts made to extinguish the fires. That period carried valuable lessons in solidarity, overcoming challenges, and achieving results, with the extinguishing of the last oil well standing as a testament to Kuwait’s ability to rise from the heart of destruction and rebuild hope anew.