Oman's Sohar refinery, polypropylene plant to undergo major planned turnaround

Muscat: Oman’s Sohar refinery and polypropylene plant will undergo a major planned turnaround or maintenance activity for two months from February 23 and April 23. This is in line with the state-owned Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company’s (Orpic) key mission to ensure that its operations run safely and smoothly at all times. These plants are owned by Orpic. “This shutdown will be used to execute a number of maintenance activities in order to improve the operational performance of Orpic’s plants,” said a press release.
A large turnaround is being undertaken every three years. This time the scope will be larger as Orpic wants to make modifications to the existing plant to allow a full integration of the new units, being constructed under the Sohar Refinery Improvement Project, which is due for commissioning later in the year.
Explaining the complexity of the shutdown, an Orpic representative said, “We analysed and reviewed the need for this turnaround. A detailed worklist was created and every Orpic employee has been assigned with specific tasks. This turnaround will witness a large revamp of the Resid Catalytic Cracker unit, which is the core of the existing refinery. However, we would like to reiterate that there will be no disruption to the nation’s supply for fuel.”
Orpic (Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company SAOC) is one of Oman’s largest companies and one of the most rapidly growing businesses in the Middle East oil industry. Orpic’s Refineries in Sohar and Muscat, as well as the Aromatics and Polypropylene Plants in Sohar, provide fuel, chemicals, plastics, and other petroleum products, to Oman and to the world.