OQ Gas Networks (OQGN), Oman’s only natural gas operator, has announced its coming inauguration of a new 208-kilometer gas pipeline in Oman’s Dhofar governorate on August 26, 2024.

The Saib Project, a $196 million investment, will boost the region’s gas network capacity by 60% to 16 million cubic meters per day, OQGN said. The company aims to meet growing demand fueled by population growth, urbanization, and economic expansion.

The new pipeline includes two loops totaling 208 kilometers of 32-inch pipe. It runs parallel to an existing 24-inch line.

OQGN’s current gas pipeline network spans 4,223 kilometers, supplying gas to power plants, water desalination facilities, and other industries. 

In the first half of 2024, the company transported 21.2 billion cubic meters of gas, a 9% increase from the same period in 2023. 

During the period, Oman’s overall natural gas production and imports rose 5.3% to 27.58 billion cubic meters, according to the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Industrial projects consumed the largest volume, about 64.3% of the gas, equivalent to 17.717 bcm by the end of June 2024. 

Further breakdown of the gas consumption indicated that 5.42 bcm was used in the oil fields, 4.31 bcm in power generation, and 124.1 million cubic meters were allocated to industrial projects.