Muscat – Oman’s average daily oil production rose by 4.8% to 1.034mn barrels per day (bpd) during the January–March period of this year, compared with 986,800 bpd recorded in the same period last year, according to preliminary data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The sultanate’s total oil production also increased by 4.8% to 93.09mn barrels in the first quarter of 2026, up from 88.81mn barrels in the corresponding period of 2025.

In line with higher production, Oman’s oil exports rose by 2.5% in the first quarter of 2026 to 76.85mn barrels, compared with 74.97mn barrels in the first quarter of 2025.

However, the NCSI data showed that the average price of Omani crude declined by 16.5% to $62.9 per barrel during January–March 2026, down from US$75.3 per barrel in the same period last year.

Natural gas output up 2.5%

Oman’s natural gas production, including domestic output and imports, increased by 2.5% to 13.74bn cubic metres in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 13.41bn cubic metres in the same period of 2025.

Data from the NCSI showed that associated gas production declined by 2.2% in the first quarter of 2026 to 2.98bn cubic metres, compared with 3.04bn cubic metres a year earlier. Conversely, non-associated gas production (including imports) recorded an increase over the period.

On the consumption side, natural gas use in industrial projects rose by 3.1% to 7.37bn cubic metres by the end of March 2026, compared with 7.14bn cubic metres in the same period of 2025. Gas consumption in power generation plants also increased by 12.9% to 3.53bn cubic metres, up from 3.13bn cubic metres a year earlier.

Meanwhile, gas consumption in oil fields declined by 8.8% to 2.80bn cubic metres, compared with 3.07bn cubic metres in the same period of 2025.

Gas usage in industrial areas fell sharply by 31.6% to 47.2mn cubic metres by the end of March 2026, compared with 69.1mn cubic metres in the same period last year.