Muscat – The production capacity of Bisat oil field in Oman’s Block 60 concession area will increase to 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) by early next year, according to the operator OQ.

OQ, the sultanate’s global integrated energy group, on Saturday announced the commissioning of its third crude oil processing plant in the Bisat oil field.

The commissioning of the third plant will contribute to increasing the field’s production capacity to 60,000 bpd, further enhancing OQ Group’s share in Oman’s total oil production.

Discovered in 2017, Bisat oil field now includes around 165 oil wells and consists of three crude oil processing plants. The first crude oil processing plant started operation in August 2019 and second plant started its operation in September 2021. The third plant was commissioned on a trial basis on November 9, 2022.

OQ successfully increased the production of Bisat oil field from 5,000 bpd in 2019 to 55,000 bpd by the third quarter of 2022, the fastest annual growth of oil field production in the region.

A wide group of Omani talents contributed to the project, which included employees from OQ Group and employees working for the contracting companies. The initiative is part of OQ’s contribution to support the government’s efforts in enabling national companies to carry on work in the areas of oil exploration and production.

The commissioning of this new crude processing plant makes OQ Group one of the largest oil producers, bringing the group’s production capacity to 219,000 barrels of equivalent oil per day, representing 12.6 per cent of Oman’s total oil production.

In a press statement, Eng Ahmed bin Said al Azkawi, CEO of Upstream Sector at OQ Group, said, “The project will support the group’s strategy to boost investments in oil exploration and production while containing environmental impact. This is an important stage that precedes the full commercial operation of the project and will enable us to ensure the reliability of all equipment and components of the plant.”

“What makes us proud is the contribution of national talents in the completion of the project and in the commissioning phase ahead of the scheduled date and within budget. In addition, the project completed more than 3,750,000 working hours without lost time injuries,” he added.

OQ Group operates in 17 countries around the world and covers the entire value chain from exploration and production to marketing and distribution of end-user products. OQ’s fuels and chemicals are sold in over 60 countries worldwide, making the group a prominent player in the energy sector.