KUWAIT: The 19th meeting of the Undersecretaries of the Ministries of Petroleum of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states convened in Kuwait on Tuesday to discuss ways of enhancing petroleum media cooperation across the region. Director of Public Relations and Petroleum Media at the Ministry of Oil Sheikha Tamader Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah said the gathering examined Kuwait’s proposal to hold a specialized workshop on petroleum media for non-media professionals, describing it as a qualitative initiative aimed at raising public awareness and boosting transparency in addressing oil-related issues.
She underlined that the move reflects the GCC’s commitment to develop media tools to keep pace with the challenges facing the energy sector. The meeting also reviewed mechanisms for implementing the updated petroleum media strategy for 2024, which provides an integrated framework to unify the GCC petroleum media discourse and strengthen its regional and international presence. Sheikha Tamader commended Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for their role in drafting these mechanisms, noting their contribution to joint Gulf action and the advancement of petroleum media. She added that such cooperation will add tangible value to the region’s media efforts, enhancing its ability to address challenges and interact with global energy developments.
Director of Public Relations and Petroleum Media at the Ministry of Oil, Sheikha Tamader Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah
The meeting raised a number of recommendations for submission to the Ministerial-Level Petroleum Cooperation Committee, with attendees affirming their commitment to following up on their implementation in a way that strengthens Gulf integration in the oil and gas sector and consolidates the GCC’s role in supporting global energy market stability. The undersecretaries also discussed approval of the updated petroleum strategy, the regional emergency plan for petroleum products, and preparations for the Gulf-European Conference on Energy, Renewable Energy and Energy Security.
Japan oil imports
In another development, Japan’s crude oil imports from Kuwait rose 38.9 percent in August compared to the same month last year, reaching 5.33 million barrels, or 172,000 barrels per day, official data showed Tuesday. It marked the first increase in four months. According to a preliminary report by the Natural Resources and Energy Agency, Kuwait remained Japan’s third-largest oil supplier, accounting for 7.8 percent of total imports, up from 5.5 percent a year earlier.
Japan’s overall crude imports slipped 1.9 percent year-on-year to 2.22 million barrels per day, falling for the third consecutive month. Shipments from the Middle East made up 95.8 percent of the total, an increase of one percentage point from last year. Saudi Arabia reclaimed the top spot with imports rising 10.4 percent to 967,000 bpd, followed by the UAE with 908,000 bpd, down 11.3 percent. The United States ranked fourth with 69,000 bpd, while Qatar stood fifth at 48,000 bpd. Japan is the world’s third-largest crude oil consumer after China and the United States. — KUNA