Ministry of Oil (Kuwait)

Ministry of Oil
Ministerial Department overview
Formed 1 April 1975
Preceding Ministerial Department Ministry of Finance and Economy
Jurisdiction Kuwait
Headquarters Kuwait City
Minister responsible Ali Al Omair, Minister
Child Ministerial Department Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC)
Website Official website

The Ministry of Oil is one of the governmental bodies of Kuwait and part of the cabinet.

History and profile

The production and export of oil in Kuwait were among the responsibilities of Kuwait's finance department until 1962 when the department was reorganized under the name of the ministry of finance and oil.[1] Then the body was renamed as the ministry of finance and economy and dealt with oil-related policies until April 1975 when the ministry of oil was established.[2] The ministry was established to protect the state’s natural resources along with two other major public bodies, namely the Supreme Petroleum Council and the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.[3] The ministry is headquartered in Kuwait City.[4]

In 1986 the ministry was separated from the Ministry of Finance.[3][5] At the same time on 12 August 1986 the mission of the ministry was refined and includes the followings: Protecting, exploiting and developing the petroleum resources, and raising the share of petroleum in the national income and securing the safety of workers, environment and structures.[4] The ministry was reorganized as part of the Ministry of Energy in 2003.[3] Following this reorganization, energy policy of the country is overseen by the ministry.[6] The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation is the major state-run body governed by the ministry.[7]

Ministers and functions

The minister of oil is the major advisor to the Amir of Kuwait.[8] The minister is also a member of the Supreme Petroleum Council.[5]

From 1978 to June 1990 Ali Khalifa Al Sabah was the minister of oil.[9][10] Saud Nasser Al Sabah served in the post between 1998 and 2000.[11] He resigned from the post in June 2000 due to an explosion that killed five workers at three oil refineries.[12] Adel Al Subaih served as oil minister until February 2002 when he resigned from the post.[13] He was replaced by Ahmed Fahd Al Sabah as oil minister.[13]

The ministry was headed by five different officials between February 2006 and February 2009.[14] In late 2007 Bader Mishari Al Humaidhi was appointed oil minister.[15] However, he resigned from office only eight days after his appointment due to harsh criticisms of the members of the Kuwaiti parliament.[15] Mohammad Al Olaim was the oil minister until his resignation in November 2008.[16] Abdulmohsen Al Madaj also served as Kuwaiti oil minister.[17]

From February 2009 to May 2011 Ahmad Al Abdullah Al Sabah served as the minister of oil.[14][18] Mohammad Al Busairi was the oil minister from May 2011 to February 2012.[19] Hani Hussein was named the oil minister in a cabinet reshuffle in February 2012.[19] Hussein resigned from office on 26 May 2013 due to tensions with members of the Kuwaiti parliament.[20] Mustafa Jassem Al Shamali served as oil minister from 4 August 2013[21] to January 2014 when Ali Al Omair replaced him in the post.[17] He is the ninth oil minister since 2004.[22]

References

  1. ↑ H. V. F. Winstone; Zahra Freeth (1972). Kuwait: Prospect and Reality. London: Allen & Unwin. Retrieved 21 December 2013. – via Questia (subscription required)
  2. ↑ "Brief History". Ministry of Oil. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Abdulaziz E. Al Attar (December 2004). "A review of upstream development policies in Kuwait". OPEC Review 28 (4). doi:10.1111/j.0277-0180.2004.00138.x. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 State of Kuwait Ministry of Oil OpenEI Retrieved 24 November 2013
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kuwait Mineral and Mining Sector Investment and Business Guide. USA International Business Publications. 7 February 2007. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-4330-2851-9. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  6. ↑ "Kuwait". US Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC)". Gulf Oil and Gas. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  8. ↑ The Changing Dynamics of Energy in the Middle East. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1 October 2006. p. 261. ISBN 978-0-313-08364-8. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "Profile: Shaikh Ali Khalifa". APS Review Downstream Trends. 20 May 1991. Retrieved 21 December 2013. – via HighBeam (subscription required)
  10. ↑ Marc Duvoisin (23 June 1987). "Kuwaiti Oil Minister Downplays Iran's Naval Threat". Philly. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  11. ↑ "Kuwait former oil minister dies – royal court". Inquirer. AFP. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  12. ↑ "Kuwait oil minister resigns in wake of explosion". Lubbock Avalanche Journal. AP. 27 June 2000. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Kuwaiti oil minister resigns". Eugene Register-Guard. 11 February 2002. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Kuwait appoints new permanent oil minister". Pipeline Magazine. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Joseph Hilyard (1 July 2008). 2008 International Petroleum Encyclopedia. PennWell Books. p. 184. ISBN 978-1-59370-164-2. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  16. ↑ "Kuwait appoints new permanent oil minister". Pipeline Magazine. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Kuwait cabinet reshuffle brings seven new faces". Asharq Al Awsat (London). 7 January 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  18. ↑ "Kuwait's new cabinet sworn in, oil minister replaced". People's Daily Online. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Summer Said (14 February 2012). "Kuwait replaces oil minister with ex-KPC head". World Oil (Kuwait City). Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  20. ↑ "Kuwaiti oil minister’s resignation: What happened?". Asharq Alawsat. 27 May 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  21. ↑ "Curriculum Vitae". Kuwait Ministry of Oil. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  22. ↑ Fiona MacDonald (6 January 2014). "Kuwait PM Shuffles Cabinet, Appoints New Finance, Oil Ministers". Bloomberg. Retrieved 10 September 2014.