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Exports of Oman crude in June outpaces production on surge in China demand

Oman exported more crude oil in June than it produced after trading giant ChinaOil picked up an unprecedented 49 cargoes during the Platts Dubai Market on Close assessment process in April. China, which has been the biggest buyer of Oman crude in recent years, accounted for 90% of the country’s overall crude exports in June, up more than 12% from May, according to data released by Oman’s oil and gas ministry over the weekend. Oman exported 912,015 b/d of crude oil in June — up 11.28% from May — even as its production was only 888,636 b/d, according to government data. In addition to exports, it also supplied 134,366 b/d of crude to domestic refineries, up from 92,534 b/d in May. While China’s share of Oman crude reached a record high, it wasn’t immediately clear where the additional export barrels came from. Traders said the extra crude could be […]

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Oman to Build Giant Solar Plant to Extract Oil

A rendering of a solar-thermal facility in the desert. For years, the unforgiving desert of Oman has required special tools to extract some of the planet’s heaviest crude. The Persian Gulf sultanate’s repertoire now includes a technology not generally associated with oil pumping: solar power. One of the world’s largest solar plants will be constructed to coax Oman’s heavy oil out of the ground, according to Oman and its partners, Royal Dutch Shell RDS.A -0.29 % PLC and French energy company Total SA TOT 0.59 % . Called Miraah, which means “mirror” in Arabic, the 1,021 megawatt solar-thermal facility is slated to be completed in 2017 and located at the Amal West oil field in South Oman. The solar plant will be built by Petroleum Development Oman, a joint venture between the Omani government, Shell and Total, and GlassPoint Solar, a Fremont, Calif.-based solar manufacturer. The construction of a […]

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