The Energy Ministry announced on 31 August new personnel changes at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC)and its subsidiaries, brought about by the retirement of long-standing KPC deputy chairman and chief executive officer Nader Sultan (MEED 20:8:04).

Hani Hussain is confirmed as Sultan's replacement, with Hussain's former position as chairman and managing director at KPC's refining subsidiary Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC)taken up by Sami al-Rasheid. Farouk al-Zanki takes over the helm at upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), replacing current chairman and managing director Ahmed al-Arbeed, who becomes managing director of Project Kuwait - the proposed development by international oil companies of five northern fields.

Abdelhadi al-Awwad is to become chairman and managing director of neutral zone operator Kuwait Gulf Oil Company (KGOC), taking over from Mohammad Ali al-Jazzaf.

There are no changes at the other KPC subsidiaries Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC), Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (Kufpec)or Petrochemicals Industries Company (PIC),whereAbdullah al-Roumi, Bader al-Khashti and Saad al-Shuwaib retain their respective chairmanships.

Energy Minister and KPC chairman Sheikh Ahmed al-Sabah said that the new appointments will be made official, pending cabinet approval and Emiri decree.

The moves are part of a wide-ranging management reshuffle planned across KPC and its subsidiaries. KPC plans to boost oil production capacity to between 4 million-5 million barrels a day (b/d) by 2020, up from about 2.4 million b/d at present (MEED 21:5:04).