Authored by Jeremiah Josey, 9 June 2016

Kuwait: Projects, People, and Paradise

With the 2008 financial crisis looming, I repositioned to the Middle East—Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—moving seamlessly between them. The crash was obvious, and by April 2008, I was in the region with assets already in cash.

Kuwait remains one of my favourite places, a true spiritual home blending professional triumphs with unparalleled social warmth. My time there mixed high-stakes consulting for AMEC, the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), and ultra-high-net-worth families with vibrant cultural immersion. I still consider Kuwait home away from home.

AMEC and KOC Consulting Successes

In 2008, London-based AMEC employed tens of thousands. I took a consulting role supporting their KOC projects, meeting CEO Samir Brikho in London to pitch my efficiency programme. View the presentation: Slideshare | PDF.

More on Samir Brikho: LinkedIn | Telegraph Article.

A highlight was leading AMEC’s USD 160 million Crude Oil Transit Line 4 (TL-4): a 30-inch pipeline handling 665,000 barrels per day, with Kuwait’s first advanced leak detection, remote controls, and longest fibre optic cable. Before I arrived the project had stalled two years over internal KOC control disputes—with AMEC’s payments frozen six months—I revived it solo, building a 35-person team that pulled talent from rival projects. I recovered unpaid invoices, won re-engineering funds, expanded staff budget, and delivered FEED and tender documents within six months, flying 15 experts to London to smash roadblocks. Within another 6 months tenders where received and the successful contract awarded. A commercial win for AMEC.

A few years later when I was heading the construction company for a high net worth Kuwaiti family, I contacted the person signing the contract for TL-4—the deputy CEO for KOC, to join my team. He had retired from KOC.

True to form, I calculated the return on investment (ROI) for TL-4. It was greater than 100%. This was akin to my 400% on an early BP project (butane sphere at BP). Even doubled time and budget would yield 25% ROI.

Earlier crude oil pipe lines (TL-1 to TL-3, built in the 1970s-1990s) moved crude from northern fields like Raudhatain and Sabriyah to Ahmadi at ~400,000 barrels per day, but lacked modern tech post-Gulf War. TL-4 met surging needs with innovation.

This paved my role as AMEC-KOC Liaison. AMEC’s contract with KOC was coming up for renewal and they needed someone who could walk the corridors of power. That was obviously me.

I also advised KOC on the development of their Capital Management Programme. This program was similar to what I experienced when BP implemented Chevron’s “CHIPDIP” program – Chevron Project Development and Execution Process (CPDEP). I also used CHIPDIP on the USD 4 B Kutubu-Gladstone natural gas pipeline a few years earlier in Brisbane Australia when I was on the Chevron team doing the feasibility study. Hence I was able to pilot the process flawlessly on TL-4 amid USD 10 billion annual spends.

Full-time KOC consulting followed, advising on the USD 15 billion North Kuwait Heavy Oil Project at Rutqa. In addition, also I witnessed a USD 5 billion meeting delay a vendor list for a manager’s family member’s company establishment; and Bechtel rebuffed elegantly (“No back-door deals, Jimmy”)—knowing their ways from my USD 1 billion fertiliser project (Read the Manual). Later, I helped firms join KOC and KNPC vendor lists.

Oil Sector Power Play

During my Kuwait tenure, I guided a prominent Kuwaiti family into the oil sector, securing agency agreements for billion dollar international companies and generating over USD 2 million in sales within six months.

Strategic Entry

Amid KOC’s USD 10 billion annual spending, I identified opportunities in upstream and downstream services and helped them secure agencies for technologies suited to projects like Rutqa heavy oil and advanced transit lines. Leveraging insights from my AMEC-KOC work, including vendor navigation, these deals bypassed common delays and aligned with KOCs needs.

I fast tracked vendor approval listings in some cases reaching 3 months, when typically it took 2 years or longer to be able to do business with KOC and KNPC.

Rapid Results

The partnerships yielded quick revenues through equipment and service supplies to KOC and KNPC, scaling to larger contracts via my networks. This provided a solid foothold in oil services, building on efficiency principles from earlier projects.

The family gained a new revenue stream, complementing their existing assets with my practical sector exposure.

From USD 200M to USD 1B Dynasty Boost

Later in my Kuwait tenure, I helped another prominent family grow their net worth from USD 200 million to over USD 1 billion in under 18 months. Facing post-2008 volatility and generational succession risks, I applied my efficiency experience playbook: audited fragmented holdings in medical retail services, construction, real estate, and shipping and logistics to unlock millions in idle cash; slashing overheads through participative management and pivoted to high-ROI ventures.

Executive A-Team Impact

I commenced the recruitment drive of a global squad and the family dynasty stabilised with seamless wealth transfer, crediting dewaniya rapport for buy-in.

Kuwait’s Warm Social Heart

Kuwait outshines the Middle East in hospitality. I joined over 100 dewaniyas—unique evening men’s gatherings—and countless weddings. At a Liberation Day event with Chinese and Syrian Ambassadors, press mistook me for Australia’s—pure Kuwaiti flair.

Event Montage:

• Liberation Day Dewaniya: With Ambassadors, I was hailed as “Australian Ambassador”.
• Epic Weddings: Thousands feasted on camels, sheep eyes, brains, and other delights, amid sword dancers and Kuwaiti drummers.

• As AMEC Social Club Chairman with 350 country wide members, I ran desert camps, Starbucks runs, Women’s Day events and a variety of other activities for the staff and their families. This I volunteered for.

• I was volunteering at the Islamic centre “TIES”, for Islamic outreach, sponsored by the sister of Emir of Kuwait, Shekia Al Sabah.

• I also supported the AMEC cricket team by attending their games.

Key Industry Insights

Here are some key points that deserve their own posts one day.

• Kuwait’s reserves risk 2030 depletion; Burgan field waning.
• Rutqa Heavy Oil: USD 15 billion outlay for under 10,000 barrels per day.
• Tatarstan tech: Cheap, blocked by Shell/Canadian incumbents.
• Exclusive tech (beyond ExxonMobil, and GE/Rockwell’s capabilities) that I introduced to Kuwait​

References

• AMEC Wins £163m Oil and Gas Contract Extension in Kuwait
  https://www.gulfoilandgas.com/webpro1/main/mainnews.asp?id=5223
• Outlook 2008: Kuwait
  https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/3000/outlook-2008-kuwait
• Kuwait Oil Company Company News
  https://www.rigzone.com/news/company/kuwait_oil_company-1876/
• Amec Wins Kuwait Deal
  https://www.energyintel.com/0000017b-a7a3-de4c-a17b-e7e3c7830000
• AMEC and Fluor win Kuwait oil and gas contract extensions
  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S135961280870003X
• KOC Periodical April-June 2008
  https://www.kockw.com/sites/EN/Periodicals/April%20June%202008.pdf
• 2013 Investment Climate Statement – Kuwait (US State Dept)
  https://2009-2017.state.gov/e/eb/rls/othr/ics/2013/204672.htm
• Amec Foster Wheeler and oil services sector face up to low crude prices
  https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/amec-foster-wheeler-and-oil-services-sector-face-up-to-low-crude-prices-1.133097
• Samir Brikho LinkedIn Profile
  https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-brikho-9b0a1a1/
• Amec’s Samir Brikho has his eye on a much bigger picture (Telegraph)
  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/engineering/10746574/Amecs-Samir-Brikho-has-his-eye-on-a-much-bigger-picture.html/
• How Not to Lose Money When Selling Your Time (PDF)
  https://jeremiahjosey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/How-Not-to-Loose-Money-When-Selling-Your-Time-3-Dec-2009.pdf
• How to Make Money When Selling Your Time (Slideshare)
  https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/how-to-make-money-when-selling-your-time/5432064
• How to Become Insanely Rich (BP butane sphere ROI)
  https://jeremiahjosey.com/how-to-become-insanely-rich/
• Read the Manual (WMC fertiliser project)
  https://jeremiahjosey.com/read-the-manual/