Production of petrochemicals rises by 19% in May

Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman's production of refineries and petrochemicals recorded an increase of 19.1 per cent till the end of May 2023 compared to the corresponding period in 2022.

Products of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and M-91 automobile fuel lead the increase by recording a surge of 1212.3 per cent and 232.1 per cent, respectively, according to preliminary data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Exports of M-95 automobile fuel until the end of May 2023 declined by 91.8 per cent compared to the same period in 2022 to stand at 226,400 barrels, while gas oil (diesel) exports went up by 50 per cent to reach 8,912,200 barrels. Aviation fuel oil also increased by 57.6 per cent to reach 2,540,200 barrels.

Production of standard grade petrol (M-91) stood at 7,046,300 barrels comprising a rise of 46.6 per cent till the end of May 2023. Sales of M-91 reached 5,843,100 barrels. Production of M-95 automobile fuel dropped by 29.6 per cent to stand at 4,815,600 barrels. Sales of M-95 also went down to stand at 4,831,000 barrels.

Meanwhile, gas oil (diesel) output increased by 22.5 per cent to 14,566,700 barrels. Sales of diesel stood at 5,799,000 barrels.

Aviation fuel oil production recorded a rise of 57.6 per cent to 4,193,600 barrels. Its sales stood at 1,678,500 barrels.
Moreover, production of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) increased by 43 per cent to 3,433,300 barrels.

As far as petrochemicals are concerned, benzene production increased by 270.6 per cent to reach 63,000 metric tonnes. The output of paraxylene stood at 211,800 metric tonnes, constituting a surge of 1168.3 per cent.
Production of polypropylene went up by 28 per cent to stand at 111,200 metric tonnes.

Further, exports of paraxylene reached 210,200 metric tonnes and exports of polypropylene went up by 41.3 per cent to record 102,900 metric tonnes. Exports of benzene reached 66,900 metric tonnes.