Muscat – Oman’s total petroleum refinery output declined 5.1% in the first half of 2026 to 108.8mn barrels, compared with 114.6mn barrels in the corresponding period of 2025, according to data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The decline was driven by lower production of key refined products, including diesel, regular petrol and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), although output of jet fuel, premium petrol and some petrochemical products increased during the period.

Total motor fuel production decreased by 1.5% during the first six months of 2026.

Production of regular petrol (M-91) fell 4.7% to 8.251mn barrels, compared with 8.659mn barrels in the corresponding period of 2025.

Domestic sales of M-91 declined 13.3% to 7.857mn barrels, compared with 9.065mn barrels a year earlier. However, exports increased 4.2% to 1.883mn barrels from 1.808mn barrels during the same period.

In contrast, production of premium petrol (M-95) rose 2.6% in the first half of 2026 to 6.889mn barrels, compared with 6.717mn barrels in the corresponding period last year. However, domestic sales of M-95 declined 13.6% to 7.371mn barrels from 8.535mn barrels, while exports fell 3.5% to 362,900 barrels from 376,000 barrels.

Diesel production declined 7.5% to 36.527mn barrels during January-June 2026, compared with 39.491mn barrels in the corresponding period of 2025. Domestic diesel sales fell 6.1% to 9.927mn barrels from 10.576mn barrels, while exports declined 12.9% to 27.912mn barrels from 32.053mn barrels.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production also declined 4.6% to 5.447mn barrels by the end of June 2026, compared with 5.712mn barrels a year earlier.

LPG sales in the domestic market fell 22.2% to 1.519mn barrels from 1.954mn barrels. Exports, however, increased 1.7% to 1.713mn barrels from 1.685mn barrels.

Jet fuel, petrochemicals production rises

Meanwhile, jet fuel production at Oman’s refineries increased 9.2% in the first half of 2026 to 14.062mn barrels, compared with 12.874mn barrels in the corresponding period last year.

Domestic jet fuel sales declined 14.3% to 2.116mn barrels from 2,470,200 barrels, while exports rose 20.9% to 11.71mn barrels from 9.687mn barrels.

In the petrochemicals sector, naphtha production rose 3.5% during the first six months of 2026 to 19mn barrels, compared with 18.372mn barrels in the corresponding period of 2025. Naphtha sales in the domestic market increased 4.5% to 7.095mn barrels from 6.787mn barrels, while exports edged up 0.8% to 12.043mn barrels from 11.945mn barrels.

The NCSI statistics also showed that benzene production increased 12.9% by the end of June 2026 to 97,100 metric tonnes, compared with 86,000 metric tonnes in the corresponding period of 2025. Benzene exports rose 16.6% to 95,500 metric tonnes from 81,900 metric tonnes.

Paraxylene production grew 14% to 322,600 metric tonnes by the end of June 2026, compared with 283,000 metric tonnes a year earlier. Its exports increased 6.1% to 331,700 metric tonnes from 312,700 metric tonnes.

Polypropylene production, however, declined 29.4% to 124,600 metric tonnes from 176,600 metric tonnes in the corresponding period last year.

Despite the decline in production, polypropylene sales increased 32.6% to 20,500 metric tonnes from 15,400 metric tonnes. Exports, meanwhile, fell 26% to 97,000 metric tonnes from 131,200 metric tonnes during the same period.