Oman Gas plans expansion

Yousef bin Mohammed al-Ojaili, CEO of Oman Gas Company (OGC) said that the company will invest RO300 million during the current Eighth Five-Year Plan in a bid to enhance the gas network for the different industries and services. He said in a statement to ONA that the company owns 2,300-km long pipeline, which is expected to increase to 2,500-km in the coming two years. The company has also three gas pumping stations in Al Buraimi, Nimr and Fahud.  The stations, which cost RO120 million, helped in enhancing availability of gas at the different economic zones and provided 70 job opportunities for Omani youth. He added that the gas transported through Oman Gas and POD networks is about 85 million cubic metres per day. He noted that BP Company, which is developing the biggest fields in the Sultanate, will add 30 million cubic metres per day of gas every day. Oman Oil Exploration and Production Company, which builds a gas pipelines and processing plants in Abu Al Tabool field, will add two million cubic metres per day. Oman Gas Company will also receive the gas extracted from gas fields in 2017 to pump them at the company network for distribution on the different economic sectors, as approved by the government. He added that the company is currently preparing the gas supply tender to A\'Duqm Economic Zone, which is expected to receive gas by 2016. The awarding of the tender for the purchase of gas pipes will be floated in first quarter of 2013. The tender for the construction of the project will be at the end of the same year and is expected to be completed in 2016. The capacity of the pipeline will be 25 million cubic metre per day. He said oil gas from natural gas project will be implemented first in Salalah at the initial stage as there are many gas wells that pump in Salalah pipeline. The oil gas is estimated at 600 tonnes of gas per day and will need a big plant for processing it. A number of Omanis are pursuing their studies at one of the specialised Spanish companies for be ready for work at the project in Salalah. The liquidised oil gas, which is highly feasible, will create 70 job opportunities. Hundreds of job opportunities will also be created by the petrochemical industries based on liquefied oil gas. He added that Omani Gas Company is considering a study to connect the gas networks in the Sultanate to ensure easy control from one centre. This will ensure mixing of gas and thus increasing its value. The gas network linkage project is expected to be completed in 2015. As for Omanisation rate at the company, he said that it is now 95 per cent, the highest in oil and gas companies with some departments 100 per cent managed by Omanis. The number of the employees at the company as of now is 320 and is expected to rise to 400 at the end of next year.  As for the company social responsibility he added that the company launched an initiative to employ 100 fresh graduates. While 80 of them are already absorbed, 71 have received training at Orpic. Times Of Oman