Ministry of Oil presents the Integrated Digital Kuwait Field project

The Ministry of Oil organized a virtual panel discussion yesterday titled “KODIF: How Are Oil Fields Managed Using Smart Technology?” The session reviewed the Integrated Kuwait Digital Field (KODIF) project, under Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), and its role in developing the management of oil fields and wells by leveraging digital technology and smart systems to monitor operational processes, analyze data, and support decision-making. The discussion featured Ahmed Al-Zidan, Chief Petroleum Engineer at Kuwait Oil Company, and Abdullah Al-Musawi.

At the outset of the panel, Sheikh Tamadur Khalid Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Director of Public Relations and Petroleum Media at the Ministry of Oil, emphasized that digital transformation represents one of the key pathways for developing the work system in the oil sector, given its advanced capabilities to enhance operational efficiency, improve information accuracy, and accelerate decision-making. She noted that the future of the oil industry is increasingly tied to its ability to harness modern technology and convert operational data into practical tools that support performance and productivity.

Sheikh Tamadur stated that the Ministry of Oil places special emphasis on raising awareness of digital projects and smart applications within the oil sector, highlighting national experiences that demonstrate the capacity of Kuwaiti technical and engineering expertise to keep pace with technological developments and apply them to improve the work environment. She affirmed that investment in technology and human resources constitutes two integrated pillars for building a more efficient oil sector capable of responding to future challenges.

She added that the KODIF project represents an important model for practical applications of digital transformation in the Kuwaiti oil industry, by integrating data and operational systems into a comprehensive framework that enables monitoring of field and well performance and supports coordination among various technical disciplines. This reflects the importance of transitioning from traditional operational management methods to a digital environment based on accurate information and continuous analysis.

On their part, Ahmed Al-Zidan, Chief Petroleum Engineer, and Abdullah Al-Musawi presented the KODIF project, which falls under the North and West Kuwait Directorate at Kuwait Oil Company. They explained that the project aims to provide a smart, proactive system to support decision-making and assist the company in addressing operational challenges and achieving its strategic objectives through collaborative working methods that bring together various technical disciplines.

They clarified that the project aligns with Kuwait Oil Company’s 2040 Strategy, which includes developing a digital strategy and implementing a digital transformation framework to achieve operational excellence. This is accomplished by leveraging modern technologies to enhance oil field management, improve operational monitoring efficiency, and advance data analysis.

They also outlined KOC’s operational areas, which include North Kuwait, West Kuwait, South Kuwait, and East Kuwait, alongside heavy oil and gas operations. They highlighted the diversity of production facilities, boosting stations, and water facilities, as well as the technical and operational requirements associated with these operations, which necessitate integrated digital systems to support monitoring and coordination.

Regarding the historical stages of the project, the presentation explained that the digital transformation journey began with the first workshop in 2007, followed by an implementation pilot phase in 2009 covering 49 wells, before transitioning to the establishment of the main center in Ahmadi in 2012.

The project has witnessed successive expansions, with the number of wells covered by the system reaching 183 wells in 2013, then rising to 1,200 wells in 2016, and exceeding 2,500 wells in 2022, as part of an expansion phase aimed at covering all wells. The project’s journey also included the establishment of the Al-Ruwaidah Field Center in 2024, before the system’s coverage expanded to encompass more than 5,000 wells in 2025, alongside an expansion of operations in West Kuwait and heavy oil fields, reflecting the gradual development in the scope of applying digital systems within oil operations.

The presentation highlighted the operational benefits of the project, foremost among which is the ability to analyze various well-related data from multiple sources on a continuous, round-the-clock basis. It also enables employees at various work locations to access information and reports on well performance, pipeline networks, and production using modern devices and digital applications, while maintaining the confidentiality and accuracy of the data. This contributes to saving time and effort and facilitates access to operational data. The system is characterized by its speed in extracting results and reports in various formats tailored to the needs of specialized staff, alongside providing modern means of communication, performance monitoring, and work coordination among the company’s different departments, even when operational sites are distant or information transfer is difficult.

The presentation noted that the project relies on a team comprising representatives from various company departments, enabling a unified vision regarding work plans and enhancing coordination among technical specialties to achieve common goals. The presentation covered several digital systems included in the “Codev” project, including the senior management dashboard, which provides dashboards and operational indicators related to oil, water, and gas production, as well as water injection. It also tracks the number of wells, downtime periods, performance indicators, and compares operational results. Additionally, it covered the well monitoring system and the pipeline network system, which display network data and its operational indicators, including pressures, temperatures, and oil, gas, and water production rates, along with a set of data related to network performance.

Regarding the project’s key achievements, the presentation clarified that “Codev” has contributed to cost reduction and improved work quality by organizing drilling rig distribution operations, thereby saving operational expenses and increasing the capacity of rigs to accommodate a larger number of wells.