Oman is selecting contractors to expand its Sohar refinery by 82,000 b/d, and is preparing to launch bidding for a contract to design a new 230,000 b/d refinery at the planned port of Duqm. But it is deciding whether to import feedstock – using Omani oil in the refineries would cut its crude exports. This would slash the liquidity of the Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME) where Oman’s export blend futures contract is traded.
State-owned Oman Refineries and Petrochemicals Company (ORPIC) expects to award a $1.5bn construction contract by mid-2013 to expand its Sohar refinery by 70% to 197,000 b/d for completion by 2Q 2016. It has short listed firms following a delay to the bidding originally planned for early August. (CONTINUED - 764 WORDS)
