23-04-03 Oman confirmed plans to build a $ 100-mm pipeline between the Oman Refinery Co. (ORC) facility near Muscat and a new refinery being built in the north-eastern city of Sohar at a cost of $ 1 bn. When operational in 2006, the new refinery will provide high-value refined products for both domestic use and export.
"The pipeline will serve as a vital lifeline to Sohar Refinery, transporting a blend of long residue from Oman Refinery and crude oil from Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) for processing at Sohar," an ORC executive was quoted as saying. "Envisaged is a 24-inch (61-centimetre) pipeline that will run 260 km (160 miles) along the Batinah coast from ORC's Mina al-Fahal facility in Muscat," he said.

The buried pipeline will be large enough to transport 116,000 bpd of mixed feedstock, which corresponds to the present capacity of Sohar Refinery. Long residue, which is a by-product of the Mina Al-Fahal refinery, was expected to account for roughly 35 % of the feedstock.
ORC's entire outputof 40,000 bpd will be set aside for the Sohar Refinery. Leading engineering consultant ILF has been selected by ORC to undertake the engineering design and route optimisation studies for the pipeline project.