MUSCAT: The Ministry of Energy and Minerals is advancing the optimisation of hydrocarbon resources through the deployment of advanced technologies and innovation aimed at improving production efficiency and sustainability, within a framework aligned with stringent health, safety and environmental standards.
Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has emerged as a central pillar of this strategy, particularly in maximising output from mature fields. These technologies enable additional extraction beyond the limits of conventional methods, reinforcing long-term production stability.
Dr Saleh bin Ali al Anbouri, Director General of Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, said Oman has established itself as a global benchmark in EOR deployment, converting geological complexity into opportunities for innovation and improved recovery rates. He noted that many of the country’s fields, discovered between the 1960s and 1980s, present challenges such as reservoir heterogeneity and high oil viscosity.
Oman has addressed these constraints through advanced solutions grounded in reservoir analysis and continuous optimisation of production techniques. A wide spectrum of EOR methods is in use across sandstone and carbonate reservoirs, including steam, gas and polymer injection.
EOR’s contribution to total oil output is projected to rise to around 20 per cent in 2026, up from 15 per cent in 2021, underlining its growing strategic importance. More than 680 million barrels have been produced through continuous steam injection, while polymer technologies have enhanced fluid mobility and recovery efficiency.
Advanced applications in complex carbonate reservoirs — including steam-assisted gravity drainage and sour gas injection — have delivered incremental recovery gains of between 10 and 20 per cent, highlighting the scale of untapped potential. — ONA
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