Liquefaction Plant Will Run on 100 Percent Solar Power
Oman’s Sohar Port and Freezone will house a world-scale liquified natural gas (LNG) liquefaction plant for the production of bunker fuel following the launch of a joint venture between TotalEnergies and Omani state oil firm OQ.
Sohar said an agreement had been inked between it and Marsa LNG to develop the US$1.6 billion plant on a 44.5-hectare plot at the port, which is located south of the Strait of Hormuz facing the Arabian Sea.
The Marsa project also combines natural gas production from the offshore Mabrouk Northeast field that will provide feedstock for the 1 million-ton-per-year liquefaction plant and a dedicated 300-megawatt solar facility to cover 100 percent of the plant’s annual power consumption.
TotalEnergies said EPC contracts had been awarded to Technip Energies for the LNG plant and to CB&I for a 165,000-cubic-meter LNG tank. Production is slated to start by early 2028.
“This agreement signifies a monumental step forward in our commitment to sustainable innovation,” said Emile Hoogsteden, CEO of Sohar Port. “This project will undoubtedly increase vessel calls to Sohar Port for bunkering of traditional and alternative fuels, further solidifying our position as a key player in the maritime industry.”
LNG bunkering is the process of refueling ships with LNG as a cleaner alternative to traditional marine fuels. The Middle East, with its abundant natural gas reserves, strategic location and burgeoning infrastructure, is tipped to become a world-scale LNG hub in the coming years.
Sohar Port and Freezone, Oman’s largest deep-sea port complex, is managed by Sohar Industrial Port Company, a 50:50 JV between state-run logistics group Asyad and the Port of Rotterdam, host port for Breakbulk Europe.
The ports of Salalah and Duqm on the Arabian coast are the sultanate’s other key gateways for breakbulk and project cargo.
TotalEnergies, Technip and CB&I are members of the Breakbulk Global Shipper Network.
PHOTO CREDIT: TotalEnergies
