The activities of Oman Oil Company Exploration and Production LLC (OOCEP) combine the management of investments in non-operated upstream assets in Oman and abroad, as well as operatorship of upstream and service/midstream businesses in Oman. This was highlighted at the Ministry of Oil & Gas’ annual media briefing held in Muscat recently.

OOCEP has diversified staff working in an environment that encourages innovation, collaboration, and partnership at all levels. OOCEP developed and implemented the targeted recruitment strategies in 2015 by increasing the Omanisation target of 75 per cent, which was up from 72 per cent in 2014.

The Gas Processing Plant (GPP) in Block 60, which commissioned in December 2014, successfully continued to process, and export gas and condensate in 2015. It is now progressing towards achieving the plateau production of 70 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd). OOCEP also successfully completed the commissioning of 21 new wells, taking the total number to 31 online wells in 2015.

Another major project undertaken by OOCEP is the Musandam Gas Plant (MGP). It is an oil and sour gas processing plant and is being constructed approximately 1 km north of the border of Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, in Tibat of the Musandam Province, Sultanate of Oman. The Musandam Integrated Gas pipeline was commissioned with flow of sweet gas from Ras Al Khaimah Gas Plant (RAKG) arriving June 2015, the Offshore Production also was commissioned with well fluids from Block 8 in July 2015. The Final stage of commissioning is currently on going with full operation commencing in 2016.

The current OOCEP exploration inventory and portfolio is primarily comprised of opportunities in two operated blocks, block 60 and 42. The block 60 (~1585 sq.km) is located on the western side of prolific Ghaba salt basin whereas block 42 (~25,590 sq.km) is located along Huqf arch axis towards the east of the Ghaba basin. These two blocks have distinctly different subsurface strati-structural evolution and petroleum history. From the exploration maturity and geological risk profile point of view, these blocks fall in two separate categories. Block 60 represents near field exploration opportunity whereas block 42 represents frontier exploration domain.

The Block 65 Pilot and Appraisal Study Agreement was signed on the 31st May 2015 with the Ministry of Oil & Gas with the objective of drilling one well to assess the prospectively of the unconventional resources in the Block. Drilling site civil work has been completed and the rig has been mobilized to site. The spud of the pilot well is anticipated to take place during mid-March 2016.

OOCEP has made significant impact in the field of education due to its CSR initiatives too. In 2011 they collaboration with Ministry of Higher Education to launch scholarship schemes mainly for students from families who are under the Social Security Scheme and want to obtain BSc Degree in Engineering. In collaboration with Ministry of Education, OOCEP also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in 2014 to provide 1195 electric microscopes to be used in public schools across the Sultanate. The project was completed by 31st December 2015.

OOCEP seeks to draw upon Oman’s experience in the oil and gas industry to achieve strong operational results and financial returns, pursue opportunities that will contribute to meeting the future energy needs of the Sultanate, and provide a platform for the professional development of the Omani workforce.