Oman: Duqm Refinery begins trials of crude distillation unit

Oman: Duqm Refinery begins trials of crude distillation unit

Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Company (OQ8), has announced the start of the trial operation for the crude oil distillation unit at Duqm Refinery.

This step paves the way for operational readiness for all Duqm Refinery units, the most significant investment project in the refining and petrochemical industries sector, reported Oman News Agency (ONA).

The refinery has a capacity of 230,000 barrels per day, with its design based on a hydrocracking unit and a petroleum coke unit. It will produce liquefied petroleum gas, naphtha, jet fuel, diesel, sulphur, and petroleum coke upon operation.

Hilal Ali Al Kharusi, CEO of the Commercial, Refining and Petrochemical Sector at OQ and Chairman of OQ8's Board, stated that the trial operation of Duqm Refinery is a development that moves forward according to the set plan. The trial operation goes through several phases before reaching maximum capacity, followed by commercial operation, which is expected by the end of 2023.

He added that all support units in the project, which has reached a completion rate of 97.5 percent, have been operated, taking into account the priority of safe operation for all units.

He continued: "The company has carried out several exercises to evaluate the efficiency of the integrated emergency response plan,