Informed sources told Al-Siyasa newspaper that Kuwait National Petroleum Company stands on the threshold of a substantial transitional phase with the imminent announcement of openings for transfers and hiring inside the Al Zour refinery. The initiative represents the effective and practical beginning of a Kuwaitization plan to replace foreign contractor labor with national cadres in one of the largest oil projects in the region. KNPC has adopted a carefully studied phased approach to ensure a smooth transition that avoids any disruption to critical operational activities.
The first stage of the replacement plan covers three main strategic sectors that form the vital arteries of the refinery, according to the same sources. These include the tank farm, sulfur handling sector and the industrial island area, all of which demand high precision in management and professional operation to safeguard facilities and the surrounding environment. Selection of these particular sectors for initial implementation demonstrates the company’s confidence in Kuwaiti employees’ ability to shoulder complex technical duties and demanding logistical responsibilities.
This step is expected to break the job stagnation experienced by many national cadres over extended periods at the facility, the sources added. Al Zour refinery, which processes up to 615,000 barrels per day and ranks among the world’s largest grassroots facilities, was fully commissioned in 2024 after an investment of approximately 16 billion dollars, KPC project records show. During its official inauguration the previous year, officials noted that the development had already created opportunities for roughly 1,400 recent Kuwaiti graduates.
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation data places the overall Kuwaitization rate across its core subsidiaries at about 91 percent, although rates for roles filled through contractors fell to around 20 percent in early 2025 from 23 percent a year earlier. The decline affected 246 positions, leaving 5,236 Kuwaitis in such contractor jobs during the first quarter of 2025. KNPC, which absorbed Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company in a 2026 merger that expanded its refining capacity beyond 1.4 million barrels per day, is now accelerating national employment efforts at the site.
The consolidated company maintains a workforce of approximately 22,800 across the sector, with recent annual recruitment drives adding more than 1,000 new employees, the majority of them Kuwaiti. Sources familiar with the Al Zour plan indicated that internal transfers and fresh hiring will target precisely those areas where foreign contractors currently operate. This aligns with ongoing KPC reviews that consider raising contractor Kuwaitization requirements from 30 percent to as high as 60 percent to improve conditions and career paths for nationals.
Al Zour produces low-sulfur fuel oil meeting Euro 5 standards for both local power stations and export markets, making skilled local staffing in sensitive sectors a priority for operational reliability and environmental compliance, according to company statements from the 2024 launch. The phased rollout at the complex, located 90 kilometers south of Kuwait City, will extend to associated LNG import facilities and future petrochemical integration if approved. KPC has consistently emphasized training programs to prepare Kuwaiti employees for the technical demands of these roles.
