State-owned Orpic of Oman will use the UOP/Foster Wheeler Solvent Deasphalting (SDA) process at its 116,000 b/sd refinery in Sohar, which is being expanded to a capacity of 187,000 b/sd (OGJ, Mar. 14, 2011, Newsletter).

The new SDA unit will be able to convert 50,000 b/d of heavy crude into low-contaminant deasphalted oil, which can be converted into light products. The Sohar refinery processes a blend of Oman Export Blend crude and long residue from the 106,000 Mina Al-Fahal refinery near Muscat.

Orpic was formed in June through the integration of Oman Refineries & Petrochemicals Co. LLC, Aromatics LLC, and Oman Polypropylene LLC. It’s owned by the government and state-owned Oman Oil Co. SAOC.