Oman To Build Major Petroleum Products Pipeline From Muscat to Sohar
With the goal of optimising the overall cost of transport and distribution of oil products in Oman, the state-owned Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic) is investing $320 million for building a 290 km-long pipeline between Muscat and Sohar.
The Muscat Sohar Pipeline Project (MSPP) will connect the Mina Al Fahal and Sohar refineries to an intermediate distribution and storage facility at Jifnain, as well as to a new storage facility at Muscat International Airport, which will receive aviation fuel directly from the pipeline. Construction will begin this year and the pipeline is expected to be operational in 2017.
The MSPP will remove the need for Orpic to ship and truck refined products. Apart from improving efficiency and lowering costs, the pipeline will reduce the number of fuel-tank truck journeys in and around Muscat. Heavy fuel-tank truck traffic in Muscat is expected to drop by 70%, which will contribute to cleaner air in and around the capital.
The Muscat Sohar Product Pipeline is a strategic project of Orpic, aimed at fulfilling its vision of building an Omani integrated refining and petrochemical business.