Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program

South Kuwaiti oil fires, 1991

The Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program (KERP) is a plan that aims to clear swaths of contaminated soil in Kuwait. Their main objective is oil spills following the 1991 Gulf War, a secondary issue for the KERP is unexploded ordinance, following both wars an unknown amount of unexploded ordinance lay in the Kuwait desert. The goal of the program is to clear a swath of ~114 square miles (300 km²). It is the largest inland environmental cleanup valued ~$3 Billion since the project's inception. In Late 2023 the KOC signed new contracts worth $1.7 billion.

Companies Involved

The following companies have been approved by the KOC and have received contracts to work on their respective zones.

Management

Worley (Project Management Consultants)

North Kuwait

Zone 1

Total value of the Zone 1 contract is $193.58 million.

• Lamor Company
• JV of Khaled Ali Al Kharafiand Brothers for Construction Contracting

Zone 2

Total value of the Zone 2 contract is ~$188 million.

• Kuwait Company for Process Plant Construction & Contracting (KCPC)

South Kuwait

Zone 1

Total value of the Zone 1 contract is $196.53 million.

• Lamor Company
• JV of Khaled Ali Al Kharafiand Brothers for Construction Contracting

Zone 2

Total value of the Zone 2 contract is $185.2 million.

• JV of Heavy Engineering Industries and Shipbuilding Company (HEISCO)
• Hangzhou Zaopinst Co., Ltd

Zone 3

Total value of Zone 3 contract is $250.6 million.

• Enshaat Al Sayer General Trading & Contracting Co.

History

Kuwait Oil Fires captured by STS-037 on April 7, 1991 during the Gulf War

During the 1991 Gulf War, the retreating Iraqi Army 605-732 oil rigs on their way back to Iraq causing the Kuwaiti Oil Fires as a form of scorched earth warfare in an attempt to stop the coalition. During the 1991 and 2003 Iraq Wars their was lots of unexploded ordinance left in Kuwait. In 2013 the KERP was created by the KOC.