Page 12 - DMEA Week 31 2021

DMEA TERMINALS & SHIPPING DMEA

Oman eyes early 2022 launch

for Ras Markaz Crude Park

MIDDLE EAST OMAN expects to bring the first phase of its oil storage project in the Middle East to serve
Raz Markaz Crude Oil Park mega storage pro- as an important global crude oil storage centre
ject into operation in early 2022 as the Sultanate due to the strategic location of Ras Markaz on
seeks to become a global hub for crude trade. the Arabian Sea, overlooking the Indian Ocean.
While the first phase will feature an already The Park will meet the markets’ needs, connect-
impressive 25mn barrel storage capacity on an ing the markets in South Asia, [The] Far East and
area of 10 square km, several stages of work will Africa.”
see that expand to 200mn barrels on a 40-square An 80-km pipeline connecting the terminal
km site. with the Duqm Special Economic Zone has
The project is being developed by OQ sub- already been completed, allowing crude to be
sidiary Oman Tank Terminal Co. (OTTCO) and imported at Ras Markaz and piped to the refin-
will be linked to the nearby 230,000 barrel per ery for processing.
day (bpd) OQ8 refinery at Duqm under devel- There are also plans to connect the storage
opment by a joint venture of OQ and Kuwait park to the Main Oil Line via a 130-km, 42-inch
Petroleum International (KPI), which will (1,067-mm) pipeline to Nahada in central Oman
receive around 65% of its feedstock from Kuwait. and another 230-km line to channel crude from
In an interview for Duqm Economist, the Saih Nihayda to Ras Markaz.
quarterly newsletter of the Public Authority Van Hoof said: “We have started, in co-oper-
for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones ation with international consulting companies,
(OPAZ), Salim bin Marhoon al Hashmi, preparing pre-feasibility studies to assess the
OTTCO’s project general manager, said that possibility of connecting Ras Markaz Park to the
marine works at Ras Markaz were completed (interior) oilfields in the future. This comes with
earlier this year, with landside infrastructure [the] aim to supply the refinery with its crude
surpassing 70% completion by the end of Q2. oil needs and establish an alternative site for the
“The infrastructure required to store crude export of crude oil.”
oil during the first phase is almost ready, and For export, crude grades will flow from Ras
operations are expected to start in Q1 of 2022,” Markaz utilising gravity from tanks 110m above
he said. sea level to tankers anchored offshore. Mean-
Meanwhile, OTTCO CEO Ard Van Hoof while, for imports four heavy-duty pumps will
noted: “We aspire to become the largest crude be used to move crude to the tanks.™

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 31 05•August•2021