Oman is the largest Middle East oil producer outside of OPEC. The majority of Oman’s hydrocarbons production comes from onshore fields. The first economic oil find in Oman was made in 1962 and Shell and BP are among the biggest operators in Oman.
However, total oil production has been declining in recent years, mainly down to Oman’s adherence to OPEC+ production cut agreements. As the government derives roughly 70 percent of its annual budget from oil and gas revenues and the sector also accounts for almost four-fifths of the country’s foreign investment, they are keen to reverse this trend with new licensing opportunities.
Oman’s 2025 license round is a competitive bidding process for three onshore oil and gas exploration blocks. The blocks are Block 36, Block 43A, and Block 66. The round is intended to attract foreign investment and diversify the country’s economy.
The bid round is expected to last four months, closing in June. The Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM) is overseeing the bidding process. The round includes three blocks:
- Block 36 – At 18,557 sq km, this is the largest of the three blocks, located in the onshore Ghudun Basin. It has a proven petroleum system.
- Block 43A – This covers 6,920 sq km in the onshore Buraimi area and borders producing areas of the United Arab Emirates.
- Block 66 – This covers 4,898 sq km and is located on the eastern flank of the Rub-al-Khali Basin.
Oman is also planning to launch a third hydrogen auction round next year. The country aims to develop a domestic hydrogen economy as part of its net zero by 2050 target.
Syntillica has a number of consultants who have experience in Oman. These include:
- Part of a 26-man team that studied production issues in Southern Oman for PDO. Several simulation models were created to evaluate different recovery techniques including water-flooding, immiscible and miscible gas injection and a variety of thermal processes including cyclic-steam, steam-drive and SAGD.
- Provided effective leadership for 40+ G&G support staff working in the South Oman Directorate and the Nimr Cluster. Work included brownfield infill drilling programmes, green field appraisal and development to EOR and the Marmul ASP injection project in PDO
- Lead various upstream technology deployments in Oman including improved and enhanced oil recovery, unconventional tight gas development and shale gas exploration, fibre-optics based well and reservoir surveillance, novel seismic technology and carbon capture, utilisation and storage.
- Geophysicist in Oman for three years, Seismic regional & prospect evaluation and active drilling campaigns with discoveries.
- Review of EUR and production profiles for the GA South oil discovery, Block 50, offshore Oman.
- Independent reserves review of OOCEP s assets followed by review and rehabilitation Planning and Implementation for a field in Oman.
- Project Engineer, underbalanced drilling, underbalanced coring and cementing for PDO.
