Muscat: The Duqm Refinery has succeeded in exporting the first shipment of high-quality diesel as per international specifications.
This coincides with the company getting closer to achieving commercial operation, with trial operations continuing to progress, exceeding 81 percent, while the percentage of construction work has exceeded more than 99 percent.
The trial operations included testing all supply chains at the Duqm Refinery, including crude oil storage facilities at the Ras Markaz and an 80-kilometre-long crude oil transport pipeline, in addition to testing the readiness of the facilities for storing and exporting products at the Port of Duqm, all of which were successfully tested.
During the past months, the Ras Markaz crude oil tanks received more than three million barrels of Omani and Kuwaiti crude oil, which were later pumped from Ras Markaz to the refinery complex in Duqm via the oil transportation pipeline. The trial operations also included the export of the first shipments of naphtha and fuel oil via product storage and export dock at Duqm Port.
It is noteworthy that the Duqm Refinery Project is a joint project between the OQ Group and Kuwait Petroleum International Company and is located in the heart of the Special Economic Zone in Duqm, which is distinguished by its strategic location, which is a competitive advantage due to its location on the path of international shipping lines on the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, and this would facilitate marine transportation activities to and from the region.
The project includes three main packages capable of producing diesel, jet fuel, naphtha, liquefied petroleum gas, sulfur, and petroleum coal. The first package includes the main processing units at the refinery, the second package includes facilities and services, and the third package includes three sub-packages: storage and export facilities for liquid and bulk petroleum products located in the port of Duqm, crude oil storage facilities in Ras Markaz, and a pipeline to transport crude oil from Ras Markaz to Duqm Refinery with a length of 81km.
Duqm Refinery is the first Gulf refinery to rely on imported crude oil in its operations and is the largest investment project between two Gulf countries in the refineries and petrochemicals sector. The vision of Duqm Refinery is to become a world-class refining company committed to providing high-quality oil products to customers all over the world, which is Which would enhance economic growth in the Duqm region, as well as enhance the Sultanate’s refining position to exceed 500,000 barrels per day of refined products upon the start of operations of the Duqm refinery, which has a capacity of 230,000 barrels per day and is capable of dealing with various types of crude oil, including Omani and Kuwaiti crude.
The refinery is considered one of the most prominent tributaries of development in the economic zone, with the direct and indirect job opportunities it provides and growth and development opportunities for projects directly and indirectly related to the refinery.
The project is also one of the major projects being implemented in the economic zone, and it serves as the starting line for the plan to transform Duqm into one of the major projects implemented in the economic zone. It is the largest industrial and economic centre in the region, and there is no doubt that this step will yield many positive results for the local community.