A ROUND 25 mainly international pipeline manufacturers and suppliers have signalled their interest in bidding for a pipeline project in Oman.

The state-owned Oman Gas Company (OGC), which is overseeing the design and implementation of the 230-km natural gas pipeline project running from Saih Nihayda in central Oman to Duqm on the coast of the Wusta region, hopes that the pipeline can transport around 25 mmcmd of gas for a proposed independent power plant, a major refinery, and a petrochemicals complex to be built at Duqm’s Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

OGC is owned by the government of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Oil & Gas, which holds 80 per cent of the shares, with Oman Oil Company holding the remaining 20 per cent. OGC plans for the pipeline to come into operation in 2015-16.

The interest shown by foreign and local companies reaffirms Oman’s potential to advance its domestic gas transportation infrastructure and add to its burgeoning gas network (OGC currently operates the country’s 2,500-km gas system).

Once the new pipeline is operational, initial requirements of the Duqm SEZ are estimated at 12 mmcmd of gas, of which 7 mmcmd will be allocated for the generation of electricity (total capacity of the pipeline is estimated at 25 mmcmd of natural gas).

This will expand Oman’s overall gas network which serves around 37 major gas consumers, including power plants, water desalination schemes, as well as industry and petrochemical projects.