Muscat – Oman’s total refinery product output declined by 2.4% to nearly 150mn barrels during the first eight months of 2026, compared with 153.7mn barrels in the same period last year, as lower production of diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other refinery products offset gains in several fuel categories, according to preliminary statistics released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The figures show mixed trends across the country’s refined petroleum products, with production and exports rising in some categories while sales weakened across several major fuels.

Automotive fuel production edged up by 0.7% by the end of August. Regular petrol (M-91) production increased by 0.4% to 11.4mn barrels from 11.3mn barrels a year earlier. However, domestic sales fell by 9.1% to 10.8mn barrels from 11.9mn barrels, while exports rose by 27.3% to 2.46mn barrels from 1.93mn barrels.

Premium petrol (M-95) followed a similar production trend, increasing by 1.1% to 9.56mn barrels from 9.45mn barrels. Sales, however, declined by 8.5% to 10.38mn barrels from 11.35mn barrels. Exports dropped more sharply, falling by 48.3% to 362,900 barrels from 701,400 barrels.

Diesel recorded a broader decline in output. Production of gas oil fell by 6.4% to 50.34mn barrels during January-August, compared with 53.76mn barrels in the corresponding period of 2025. Despite lower production, sales increased by 1.1% to 13.8mn barrels from 13.65mn barrels. Exports declined by 10.4% to 38.67mn barrels from 43.16mn barrels.

Jet fuel was among the stronger-performing categories, with production rising by 15.5% to 19.75mn barrels from 17.1mn barrels. Exports also recorded robust growth, increasing by 27.8% to 16.6mn barrels from 12.99mn barrels. Sales, however, fell by 5% to 3.03mn barrels from 3.19mn barrels.

LPG output declined by 2.7% to 7.44mn barrels from 7.65mn barrels, while sales fell by 20.7% to 2.02mn barrels from 2.54mn barrels. Exports moved in the opposite direction, rising by 5.4% to 2.39mn barrels from 2.27mn barrels.

Naphtha was another product to register growth across all three reported categories. Production increased by 5.1% to 26.19mn barrels from 24.92mn barrels, while sales rose by 4.7% to 9.6mn barrels from 9.17mn barrels. Exports grew by 3.3% to 16.95mn barrels, compared with 16.4mn barrels in the same period last year.

Petrochemical products

The data also showed contrasting trends in the production and exports of selected petrochemical products, measured in metric tonnes.

Gasoline production increased by 1.8% to 123,200 metric tonnes by the end of August, compared with 121,000 metric tonnes a year earlier. Exports rose by 1.6% to 121,000 metric tonnes from 119,100 metric tonnes.

Paraxylene production grew by 5.8% to 425,300 metric tonnes from 402,100 metric tonnes. Exports, however, declined by 1.8% to 427,400 metric tonnes from 435,300 metric tonnes.

Polypropylene recorded the sharpest decline among the petrochemical products covered in the data. Production fell by 25.5% to 177,100 metric tonnes from 237,700 metric tonnes. Despite the drop in output, sales increased by 26.7% to 24,900 metric tonnes from 19,700 metric tonnes. Exports declined by 12.4% to 149,100 metric tonnes from 170,200 metric tonnes.

The figures highlight the varied performance of Oman’s refining and petrochemical products during the first eight months of the year, with gains in jet fuel and naphtha output contrasting with lower production of diesel, LPG, other refinery products and polypropylene.