OQ to Showcase Sustainability Projects at Oman Sustainability Week Conference

OQ, the global integrated energy group, will participate in the second edition of the Oman Sustainability Week Conference, which is taking place during March 12 – 16, 2023. Speaking on the Group's strategy, Shaima Murtadha al Lawati, Vice President of Sustainability at OQ said, "Investing in Alternative Energy projects, managing our carbon footprint, managing water resources and waste resulting from OQ’s operations, diversity, inclusiveness as well as occupational health and safety are some of the pillars of OQ’s strategy over the next three years, some of which are amongst the main themes of the Oman Sustainability Week Conference.”

At the Conference, Ghalib Saeed al Maamari, Vice President - Low Carbon Molecules, will present the Group's decarbonization and Alternative Energy strategy. Topics under discussion are digital sustainability in wastewater treatment, a paper entitled In-Country Value and Sustainability as well as the agricultural investment project involving the use of drones for early detection of the Dubas bug and the Red Palm Weevil. OQ seeks to manage its carbon footprint through adopting best practices and modern technologies. In 2021, OQ launched a comprehensive decarbonization strategy based on three themes: energy efficiency, clean energy as well as low-carbon molecules. As part of the Group's commitment to implementing this strategy, the Bisat C Oil Treatment Plant was designed to the highest standards in accordance with HSE and sustainable methodology, with the goal of reducing 55% of carbon emissions, more than 50% of equipment and reduction of 40% of iron consumption.

Al Maamari added, “The group is presently focused on four major projects across Alternative Energy and green hydrogen to reinforce Oman’s global position, namely the Hyport Oman, H2Oman, SalalaH2 and Green Energy Oman (GEO) projects. These initiatives are made possible through worldwide and regional collaboration, along with the signing of agreements and memorandums of understanding”. In terms of optimal water utilization, the Group is doing its utmost to preserve water, the core component of life, through a variety of integrative initiatives and activities. In 2021, the Group applied water technology solutions to the design and building of the early production facility for Bisat Oilfield, through which the company processed 300,000 barrels of water associated with production operations daily.

As for waste management in its operations and activities, the Group employs a sustainable methodology by collaborating with stakeholders to classify waste into grades, employing specialized companies for safe disposal, while exploring recycling solutions. In 2022, the Group signed an agreement with be'ah to collaborate on waste management and share best practices. In the field of oil and gas exploration and production, OQ also managed to contract the utilization of the water-based drilling mud pumps system in Block 60 as a storage facility for subsequent recycling of drilling mud between rigs, contributing to the recycling of estimated 2,838 cubic meters of high performance drilling mud. This was followed by another initiative in the refinery and petrochemicals sector involving the processing of approximately 1,200 cubic meters of mixed petroleum oil reserve and 940 cubic meters of crude oil extracted in November and December 2022, resulting in a reduction in waste production and extraction of hydrocarbons, which can be reused in the refinery.