Emergency prompts shutdown at Omani refinery

Jan. 2, 2014
Oman’s state-owned Orpic has temporarily shut down its 116,000-b/d Sohar refinery about 230 km northwest of the Omani capital of Muscat due to an emergency situation in the plant’s sour water stripper.

Oman’s state-owned Orpic has temporarily shut down its 116,000-b/d Sohar refinery about 230 km northwest of the Omani capital of Muscat due to an emergency situation in the plant’s sour water stripper.

The shutdown was to begin on Jan. 1 with maintenance work scheduled to be completed within the following 10 days, the company said in a Dec. 31 release posted to its Facebook page.

During this period, frequent shutdowns and restarts of different units at the refinery will be carried out until all units are stabilized to ensure that they can operate normally, according to the release.

The refinery’s fuel supply commitments will not be interrupted as a result of the temporary emergency shutdown, Orpic said.

The Sohar refinery currently is undergoing an expansion, which once completed, will increase the plant’s processing capacity by more than 70% (OGJ Online, Nov. 25, 2013; Mar. 4, 2011; Mar. 2, 2011).