MUSCAT: Crude oil and oil condensate exports from the Sultanate of Oman totalled around 289 million barrels in 2021, with China lifting the dominant share of 83.8 per cent of this output, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals revealed here on Tuesday. India, another key market for Omani crude shipments, received around 10 per cent of total exports las year.
Speaking to Oman News Agency, Dr Saleh bin Ali al Anbouri (pictured), Director General of Exploration and Production, said crude oil and oil condensate production in 2021 averaged 971,000 barrels per day, up from 951,000 barrels per day in 2020, up 2.1 per cent from last year. This was in keeping with production quotas agreed with the Opec+ alliance of global producers.
“The Ministry is also working with constant interest to strengthen oil and gas reserves, through exploration and production operators that are working on drilling, testing and appraisal exploratory wells, which have produced positive indicators in a number of them, adding to Oman’s oil and gas reserves”, he noted.
Reserves of crude oil and oil condensate increased by 4 per cent from 2020, and the results of analysis and testing of the productivity of wells for natural gas resulted in positive indicators in a number of them, which added new gas reserves, he said.
The Ministry oversaw the delivery of a number of major projects by Oil & Gas operators to ensure sustained output. This included the Yibal Khuff project, which is the second largest venture of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO).
Dr Saleh al Anbouri explained that the ministry has strengthened the role of social responsibility and unifying the sector’s efforts in achieving its goal in serving the largest segment of society, implementing sustainable projects, and has set up joint projects under the umbrella of the ministry since 2020, including the joint training center “Outward Bound Oman”, and signed an agreement on the implementation of the Centre for Culture and Innovation in Musandam, as well as contributed the sector to a number of other community initiatives.
According to the report of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals indicated that during 2021, licensed operators drilled and tested 66 oil exploration and evaluation wells, including some wells that were previously drilled and tested and appraised this year.
Oman’s total crude oil reserves and oil condensate expected by the end of 2021 were 4 per cent higher than last year, and PDO reserves accounted for 64.4 per cent of total crude oil reserves and oil condensate.
Oman’s average natural gas production in 2021 was about 132 million cubic metres per day, with associated gas production accounting for 18.9 per cent of total production, at a rate of 25 million cubic metres per day, and non-associated gas production accounting for 81.1 per cent of total production at a rate of 107 million cubic metres per day. In addition to this production, natural gas was imported during the year from Dolphin Energy at a rate of 5 million cubic metres per day.
In 2021, oilfield operators drilled and tested 14 exploration and appraisal wells for gas, including some wells that had been drilled in advance and tested and appraised this year. The results of the analyses and testing of well productivity have yielded positive indicators in a number of them, which have added new gas reserves, he said.
Oman’s LNG exports during the year amounted to about 10.6 million metric tonnes, exported through 163 shipments, and natural gas liquids (NGL) exports of 0.189 million metric tonnes shipped In 29 shipments, Oman LNG exports accounted for 73 per cent of total LNG exports, while Qalat LNG exports accounted for about 27 per cent of total LNG exports by the end of 2021, Dr Al Anbouri said. — ONA
