Oman's Duqm refinery loads first ULSD cargo

Oman's state-owned OQ has exported the first ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) cargoes from its new 230,000 b/d Duqm refinery.

The refinery, a 50:50 joint venture with Kuwait's state-owned KPI, has been conducting trial runs as it nears the full capacity by the end of this year.

Shipping fixtures show two tankers - the Hellas Margarita and Oinoussian Star - under provisional agreement to move 35,000t each to east Africa or South Africa, and to east Africa respectively. Vortexa data show the former left Oman on 12 September, and the latter is scheduled to depart today.

The refiner also exported 59,000t of naphtha this month, following its first such cargo in June, and exported an 82,000t cargo of high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) and 93,000t of low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) in August and September.

The Duqm refinery was around 99pc complete as of July, KPI chief executive Shafi Al-Ajmi said earlier this week. The refinery will use feedstock comprised of 65pc Kuwaiti crude and 35pc Omani crude once it is fully operational, which the operators expect to happen by the end of this year. On completion the refinery will add 130,000 b/d of diesel, 22,000 b/d of jet fuel, 15,000 b/d of LPG and 63,500 b/d of naphtha to Oman's output.

By Rithika Krishna