UFO Potpourri No 429

Magazine Overview

Title: UFO POTPOURRI
Issue: No. 429
Date: December 1999
Publisher: John F. Schuessler
Focus: The issue details the "Kuwait Oil Field Incident" from late 1978, highlighting evidence of advanced technology at work.

Kuwait Oil Field Incident: Evidence of Advanced Technology At Work

The primary article, sourced from the MUFON UFO JOURNAL (Jan/Feb 1979) by Richard Hall, recounts reports of numerous UFO sightings in Kuwait. P.G. Jacob, a marine biologist with the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), reported to MUFON that a series of sightings occurred in the oil fields of the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) starting around November 9, 1978. The last reported sighting was on the morning of November 21, 1978, between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m., over the Al Sabriyah oil field near the Iraqi border. One individual was able to take photographs of the object.

The ARAB TIMES reported on November 23 that during the November 21 sighting, a man given a camera by the oil company managed to photograph the object as it flew over a twenty-foot water tower and hovered for approximately thirty minutes. Similar to previous sightings, long-distance communications were disrupted, but internal phone lines remained operational, allowing KOC employees to contact supervisors who witnessed the object.

A message to the U.S. State Department from the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, dated January 29, 1979, is also reproduced. This message, marked UNCLASSIFIED, details a cable (R 290606Z JAN 79) from AMEMBASSY KUWAIT to SECSTATE WASHDC.

Official Investigation and Findings

A cable from UNCLAS KUWAIT 0486 indicates that the Kuwaiti government (GOK) appointed an investigatory committee of experts from KISR due to the series of UFO sightings. The committee's report, released on January 20, described eight sightings between November 9 and December 14, 1978. Some early sightings occurred near a KOC gathering center north of Kuwait City. The release of the report coincided with media attention, including a January 21 front-page story in local newspapers about another UFO sighting over Kuwait City, accompanied by photographs.

The KISR committee concluded that the UFOs were not espionage devices but remained uncertain about their extraterrestrial origin. Ratib Abu Id, a KISR representative, stated that scientists did not have sufficient information to confirm if they were "spaceships." The report recommended that the government implement measures to protect Kuwait's airspace, territory, and oil resources.

Unusual Equipment Behavior

Beyond the official findings, the article highlights an event that reportedly persuaded the government to investigate seriously. A senior KOC official reported that a "UFO" appearing over the northern oil fields seemed to interfere with KOC's automatic pumping equipment. This equipment is designed to shut down automatically in case of failure to prevent damage to the petroleum gathering and transmission system and requires manual restart. During the UFO's appearance, the pumping system automatically shut down and then restarted itself after the UFO vanished. This specific incident was not addressed in the KISR committee report.

Broader Context and Speculation

The article notes that even those skeptical of extraterrestrial visitors acknowledged that something unusual was occurring in Kuwaiti airspace. Speculation included the possibility of helicopters or hovercraft transporting refugees or money from beleaguered Iran. The phenomena stimulated increased interest among top Kuwaiti officials in the country's air defense system. It is mentioned that the KOC North Field was closed down for the night (Septel) during these events, so the security system was not engaged.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The editorial stance of UFO POTPOURRI appears to be one of presenting documented reports and official communications regarding unusual aerial phenomena. The magazine focuses on providing details of sightings, investigative findings, and the potential implications for security and technology. The inclusion of official cables and newspaper reports suggests an effort to present credible, albeit sometimes speculative, information on UFO incidents. The emphasis on the "advanced technology" aspect of the Kuwait incident indicates a leaning towards exploring the technological capabilities of the observed phenomena.