BP Oman announced that phase one of its massive Khazzan natural gas project is 80 percent complete and on track to deliver first gas near the end of 2017.
Located on a previously undeveloped desert site 350 kilometres south of Muscat, work on the Khazzan tight gas project began in 2014 and the completed development will eventually contribute roughly a third of Oman’s natural gas supply.
The vast majority of the infrastructure is already in place including 56 kilometres of roads, several thousand metres of power lines (including broadband networks) and a 60 kilometre water pipeline from Hanya. Foundations and structures have also been put in place and equipment installation is in progress for the two-train central gas processing facility. The water treatment plant, waste management area and electricity substation have also been completed along with accommodation units for the construction workforce of up to 12,000.
Yousuf Al Ojaili, BP Oman President, commented: “This is a world class project and with key infrastructure and many buildings now in place it is possible to see the real shape and scale of the facility emerging. Our aim is for first gas to be flowing by the end of 2017, representing a significant moment for Oman, with the gas that comes from Khazzan substantially increasing our country’s overall supply and supporting greater diversification of Oman’s industrial base. Reliable gas supplies are needed for the country’s power sector and energy intensive industries. Also, this unique project is an excellent opportunity to develop Omani expertise in tight gas development and BP is proud to lead this effort.”
The Khazzan drilling programme is also on track with 38 of the 50 wells needed by first gas already drilled. More than 300 wells will eventually be drilled over the lifetime of the project. BP has plans in place with extensions to be contributing 1.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day to the Omani economy.
As the largest investor among the integrated oil companies in the Middle East and North Africa, BP brings a wealth of technical expertise in advanced seismic, hydraulic fracturing and horizontal well design. This deep technical knowledge is key to unlocking the vast reserves of tight gas which are contained in the deep, dense and extremely hard rock strata at Khazzan.
BP Oman is lead partner in the project with a 60% interest. Oman Oil Company Exploration & Production holds 40%. With national oil companies BP is currently managing over 3 million barrels per day of oil and gas production throughout the Middle East.
