MUSCAT: The availability of Oman’s crude oil exports will likely fall by about 84,000 b/d from around December 2017 to January 2018 as the Sohar refinery reaches full run rates at its expanded capacity by the end of the year, Gabor Kenessey, GM of supply chain management at Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company, or Orpic, told S&P Global Platts Tuesday. The Sohar refinery, which is configured to process Oman Export Blend crude, is currently running at a rate of 80% after all units were commissioned following the start of commissioning in May, Kenessey said in an interview on the sidelines of APPEC conference in Singapore.
Oman’s current crude and condensate production is at “almost a million b/d,” and output rose beyond 1 million b/d in “June or July,” Kenessey said. He added Oman’s compliance to the OPEC/non-OPEC production cut accord is “very close to 100%” for the Omani commitment of 45,000 b/d. The Sohar refinery’s capacity has increased by 84,000 b/d from 116,000 b/d as a result of expansion project, Kenessey added.
