Oman advances geothermal energy study of natural hot springs

MUSCAT, OCT 14
Nama Power and Water Procurement Company (Nama PWP) has floated a new consultancy tender to advance investigations into the geothermal energy potential of natural hot springs in northern Oman, marking a further step towards assessing the commercial viability of this largely untapped renewable energy resource.
The tender, titled ‘Provision of Techno-Economic Consultancy Services for the Hot Springs Geothermal Project – Phase 2 and 3’, builds on an earlier initiative launched in April 2025 to assess geothermal prospects in an area extending from Fanja in Wilayat Bidbid to Al Ansab in Wilayat Bausher.
According to the announcement, the latest tender (OPWP/2026/042) invites qualified and experienced geothermal consultancy firms to undertake a comprehensive programme of geological, geochemical and deep geophysical investigations, geothermal resource assessment and three-dimensional conceptual modelling.
The scope also encompasses site selection, preliminary techno-economic assessment and preparation of a temperature-gradient drilling programme, potentially paving the way for more detailed subsurface exploration.
Significantly, the tender includes an optional third phase covering drilling tender support and supervision, post-drilling resource assessment, and detailed feasibility and development studies. These activities would help determine whether the identified geothermal resources can be harnessed commercially for electricity generation or other energy applications. Bids must be submitted by November 30, 2026.
The initiative follows Nama PWP's April 2025 invitation for consultancy proposals covering Phase 1 of the Hot Springs Geothermal Project, which envisaged a feasibility assessment of geothermal resources at pre-identified locations between Fanja and Al Ansab.
Northern Oman hosts several naturally occurring thermal springs, including those at Bausher and Fanja, where groundwater circulating through deep geological faults and fractures is heated by the Earth's natural geothermal gradient.
Other prominent geothermal manifestations include Ain Al Kasfa in Al Rustaq, where spring temperatures can exceed 45°C, and Ain Al Thawwarah in Nakhl.
The initiative complements broader efforts to evaluate Oman's geothermal resources. In 2022, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals signed an agreement with global technology company SLB to assess the country's geothermal potential, with Oman Investment Authority also collaborating in the initiative.
Earlier research by Sultan Qaboos University has identified geothermal reservoirs in Oman characterised by low-temperature resources of around 70–90°C and medium-temperature resources of 100–174°C.
While their suitability for commercial electricity generation remains to be established, these resources could potentially support direct heating, cooling and other industrial applications, contributing to Oman's wider energy diversification and decarbonisation objectives.