Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic), one of Oman's largest companies and one of the Middle East's most rapidly growing businesses, plans to invest around $5-6 billion in a number of "strategic" projects over the next five years.
Key among these is the Liwa Plastics Projects, which will produce one million tons of petrochemicals. This milestone venture will be launched in 2018. Also under development is a fuel pipeline project linking the refineries of Mina Al Fahal and Sohar with storage tank infrastructure planned at Al Jifnain in the Wilayat of Fanja. Equally important is the Sohar Refinery Improvement Project, a contract for which is currently pending before the Tender Board. Meanwhile, flaring at Orpic has been reduced by 60 per cent since 2011, with the volume flared per hour dropping from 12.5 m3 to 4.5 m3 in August this year. Flaring volumes are projected to drop further in the coming few months.
This was announced by Musab al Mahrouqi, CEO, Orpic, at the ceremony marking the successful completion of two key components of its Environmental Improvement Plan. Flare reduction was made possible by connecting the Fuel Gas network with the Aromatics Plant to reuse the excess gas which has resulted in less consumption of natural gas in the Aromatics Plant, the upgrade of boilers/burners to uplift their capacity to the maximum as well as enhancing the efficiency of coolers. Orpic also marked the re-commissioning of the Wet Gas Scrubber Unit which had a fire incident last March resulting in the suspension of the maintenance and improvement works being carried out at that time on the unit as well as the project to reduce the gas combustion in order to lower the flare level. Orpic has so far completed two projects under this Environmental Improvement Plan, while also reaching the 80 per cent mark in the execution of the environmental mitigation initiatives.
"It is a significant moment for us and has been a result of combined efforts of working closely with other government institutions and in full partnership with the community," said Al Mahrouqi.
The company has allocated $50 million for the Environment Improvement Plan and is keen to carry out projects that can minimize the impact of its operations on the surrounding environment. Orpic believes in working closely with all relevant stakeholders to implement the Environmental Improvement Plan.
Oman Daily Observer
28 September
