KUWAIT CITY, March 3: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Abdullah Al-Ajmi affirmed that the refinery is unaffected by the drone attack on the Port of Duqm in Oman two days ago. In an exclusive statement to the newspaper, Al-Ajmi revealed that operational activities at Duqm Refinery, including production and export operations, are continuing as usual without interruption. He said the refinery is running at its full refining capacity of 255,000 barrels per day, stressing that there are no threats to the refinery, which is jointly owned by Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI) and OQ Group.

He said the Kuwaiti employees stationed at the refinery are carrying out their responsibilities with outstanding professionalism, alongside their Omani counterparts and colleagues of other nationalities.

Meanwhile, reliable Omani sources told the newspaper that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the intensifying crisis between the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran could increase demand for Duqm Refinery products. Sources pointed out that the refinery usually witnesses a notable rise in orders, particularly during times of geopolitical instability in the region, owing to its position within the Duqm Special Economic Zone in the Sultanate of Oman, overlooking both the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Sources explained that this distinctive and strategic location protected the refinery from the severe political developments that have affected the region since October 2023.

They pointed out that the location of the refinery gives it direct access to major international shipping routes linking Asia and Africa, establishing it as a prominent geostrategic hub whose significance becomes apparent during crises and interruptions to supply routes passing through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. They indicated that the success of the refinery is largely attributed to the alignment and integration of the expertise of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and its subsidiary, KPI, with the experience of the Omani partner, OQ, particularly in light of the extensive history of KPC in the refining industry. They added that the refinery produced more than 6.2 gigawatt-hours of solar energy, while onverting 85 percent of its hazardous liquid waste into energy. Regarding its milestones, sources stated that 2016 marked the completion of the refinery site preparation works, with construction contracts awarded at the beginning of 2017.

“Construction activities commenced in 2018 and culminated in the launch of initial commercial operations in 2022. In January 2023, the refinery received its first cargo of crude oil, followed in March 2023 by the sale and export of its first shipment of refined products,” sources added. Sources asserted that the most notable milestone was on Feb 7, 2024, when the refinery was officially inaugurated in the presence of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Moreover, Ghanem Al-Otaibi, official spokesperson of Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) and Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC), stated that debris fell at the Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery early Monday morning, causing minor injuries to two workers.

Al-Otaibi wrote on the X platform account of KPC that “the situation was dealt with immediately in accordance with the safety and security protocols. The injured workers were taken to Adan Hospital and both of them are in stable condition and remain under medical supervision.” He stressed that the refinery’s operational and production activities were not affected and continued without disruption. “Emergency response teams promptly initiated their duties following the incident and activated the rapid response plan, implementing all required precautionary measures to safeguard the employees and facilities. No material damage occurred. Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery continues to operate at full capacity, with the highest priority placed on ensuring the safety of personnel in all sites,” he concluded.

By Najeh Bilal Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff