Oman is planning to expand its oil production rate by 7 per cent starting from April as new projects come on stream, the sultanate’s oil minister Mohammed bin Hamad al-Rumhy said.

The country is expected to produce an average of 915,000 barrels a day (b/d) compared with a current rate of 855,000 b/d.

Output will increase with the start-up of the 30,000 b/d Harweel sour gas injection project and some wells in Qarn Alam, al-Rumhy told state-owned Oman News Agency.

State oil company Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has shifted its focus to unconventional resources, particularly from light tight oil and geologically complex gas opportunities.

Al-Rumhy said that new companies would contribute to Oman’s oil production in the coming months, including OC Energy Company, BP and Occidental Mukhaizna. There are currently seven companies involved in Omani crude production.

At the same time, the sultanate’s gas production is expected to increase to over 100 million cubic metres a day (cm/d) by the end of the year compared with a current rate of 95 million cm/d, the minister said.