Oman extends deadline of Sohar refinery expansion

17 February 2013

Oman Refineries & Petrochemicals asks contractors to submit bids on 29 April

Oman has extended the deadline for bid submission on the expansion of the Sohar refinery, according to a company active on the project.

Project owner Oman Refineries & Petrochemicals Company (ORPC) is increasing the capacity of its refinery in the north of the sultanate by 60 per cent, to 187,000 barrels a day (b/d) from the current throughput of 116,000 b/d.

ORPC has requested companies submit bids on the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract on 29 April, pushing the deadline back from 11 February. Nine companies and consortiums are prequalified to bid.

According to industry sources, the contract is expected to be awarded in the second quarter, but construction will not start until 2014, with completion set for 2016.

The project, which was tendered in December, will include a 71,500-b/d crude distillation unit, a 96,800-b/d vacuum distillation unit, a delayed coker unit and additional utilities and offsite facilities.

The extra capacity will provide additional naphtha and propylene feedstock for Sohar’s petrochemicals plants, as well as meeting rising fuel demand in the sultanate.

ORPC, the petrochemicals arm of downstream group Oman Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic), has also floated a tender for the procurement of long-lead items for the expansion project.

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