Emir positive on Neutral Zone deadlock, analysts less so

Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah’s on 21 January made positive remarks about Saudi Arabia and the Partitioned Neutral Zone (PNZ) partnership that raised hopes that resolution finally beckons to the protracted dispute. However, signs are that the bilateral spat between two otherwise close allies could run on for some time. Operations by Chevron Corporation and its partner Kuwait Gulf Oil Company have been shut in since May 2015, when work stopped on the 200,000 b/d Wafra field; the 300,000 b/d offshore Khafji field closed down in October 2014.