Natural gas volumes delivered by Oman Gas Company (OGC), the principal gas transportation utility of the Sultanate, soared to a new daily high of 59.29 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) this year, up from last year’s peak of 57.05 million Sm3 — a four per cent jump that underscored the escalating demand for gas as a fuel resource and industrial feedstock.
In a tweet, the midstream energy utility said the record was achieved on May 30, 2017. It hailed the record as “another jewel in OGC’s crown” of achievements during the year, alluding to, among other notable developments, the award of a contract for the construction of a major LPG Extraction Plant in the Salalah Free Zone.
Of the peak daily volume of 59.29 million Sm3 of gas, the lion’s share of 33.80 million Sm3 (62 per cent) was consumed by the nation’s expanding network of power generation and water desalination plants. Oilfield operations accounted for 13.37 million Sm3 (23 per cent) of the daily total, while the balance 9.12 million Sm3m (15 per cent) was consumed by a diverse spread of industrial, petrochemical and commercial end-users.
Giving a region-wise breakdown of the main gas consumption centres of the Sultanate, OGC said nearly a third of its total daily supply (19.46 million mscm) was channelled to Suhar, which is home to a large cluster of power projects, water desalination plants, and industrial and petrochemical schemes. Muscat Governorate, which also hosts a power and water hub along with a major industrial park, was next with a daily peak uptake of 6.59 million Sm3 of gas.
Nimr, an important oilfield hub located within Petroleum Development Oman’s (PDO) Block 6 license, was placed third with a peak daily consumption of 7.83 million Sm3 of gas. A close fourth was Sur, with a daily peak uptake of 7.16 million Sm3 of gas for its substantial power, water and industrial related investments.
Next was Salalah where gas supplies to an array of power, water, industrial and petrochemical plants topped 6.6 million Sm3 per day at peak demand. Rounding off the list of major consumption areas was Fahud, also an important oilfield centre, with daily demand peaking at 2.82 million Sm3 this year.
OGC, wholly-owned by Oman Oil Company, operates a roughly 2,500 km high-pressure gas transmission network that runs the length and breadth of the Sultanate.
Conrad Prabhu
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