Orpic

Orpic has begun work on an improvement project, to be completed in 2015, which is expected to improve the refinery's product quality and increase output by more than 70 per cent. It will also provide the latest technological advances to improve emission control and will create employment opportunities for the local community.

The major objective of the improvement project is to increase the production of petroleum products such as LPG, naphtha, Jet A-1 fuel, gasoline, diesel and propylene. These additional petroleum products will meet the growth of local demand in addition to enhancing Oman's exports of petroleum and petrochemical products. Additionally, this project will produce bitumen to meet the demand of the local market and eliminate the need for bitumen products.

The improvement project will be implemented at Sohar Industrial Port to complement the existing Sohar Refinery, which was commissioned in 2006. CB&I Lummus B.V has been appointed to provide front end engineering design (FEED) for the improvement project, which it is scheduled to complete by the first quarter of 2012.

CB&I Lummus B.V will work with selected licensors, along with the Sohar Refinery Improvement Project Team, to provide the basic design and engineering package in order to finalize the FEED package. Several specialist contracts were awarded earlier this year to internationally-renowned process licensors, such as Chevron Lummus Global for the Hydrocracking unit, UOP/Foster Wheeler for the Solvent De-Asphalting unit and Black & Veatch for the Sulfur Recovery unit.

It is expected that the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract will be floated through the Government Tender Board in the first quarter of 2012, culminating in the commissioning and on-stream operations of the refinery units in 2015.