Oman is expected to tender the project management consultancy (PMC) as well as the main contract for phase two of BP’s Block 61 in two months, according to sources.

Phase two of the Ghazeer field, which adjoins BP’s massive tight gas development project at Khazzan is expected to deliver 500 million cubic feet of gas a day(cf/d) by 2020, according a recent statement by the UK oil major.

The Khazzan field is expected to come online with a billion cf/d by the end of 2017. Along with Ghazeer, the combined production of 1.5 billion cf/d from the fields is expected to increase Oman’s gas production by 40 per cent.

The first development well has been drilled at the Ghazeer block, which is estimated to hold 3.5 trillion feet of accessible gas. Around 125 wells are expected to be drilled over the lifetime of the project to extract gas with more wells expected to be drilled this year.

Oman has only 25 trillion cubic feet of gas - some of the smallest reserves in the region. In comparison its Gulf neighbours Iran and Qatar are estimated to hold 1,201.4 trillion cubic feet and 866 trillion cubic feet of gas, according to BP Statistical Review of World

The sultanate has prioritised development of gas reserves in order to meet rising domestic demand as well as for export purposes.

Apart from its massive tight gas development project, Oman is looking to import gas from Iran.

Both countries are pushing ahead with the development of a subsea gas pipeline to deliver around 350 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas by 2020.