Turnaround at Orpic Sohar refinery to help cut emissions

The activities that took place during the turnaround have established a solid platform for the Sohar Refinery Improvement Project and emissions reduction project as planned since 2011.

Orpic’s Manager Environment Services, Hamed Al Rumhi stated that the  start-up activities which will commence on 26 April 2013 will last for approximately two weeks. 

For the first seven days of start-up, one can expect to see intermittent flaring at Sohar Refinery with some noise, limited emissions as we inject crude oil into the Refinery and a slight odour from the Waste Water Treatment Plant due to the biological treatment and stabilisation.”

As a result of the fire incident at the Sohar Refinery on 11 March 2013, one of the secondary units, Wet Gas Scrubber, will not be operational.  The unit is currently being rebuilt and is expected to be back in operation by mid-August 2013. 

In collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, the company has taken several measures to reduce air emissions to arrive at the same level as during the first half of 2012. 

“We plan to keep the public updated on any new developments at Orpic as well as the progress of the plants resuming to normal operations” further stated Mr Al Rumhi.

The turnaround has not impacted Oman’s fuel demand as Orpic made the necessary arrangements for petroleum products to meet the domestic fuel demand at all three of its supply locations - Sohar, Muscat and Salalah during this scheduled shutdown.

Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company