DUQM Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Company has issued a tender to lay the groundwork for the construction of its new refinery at the Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (Sezad).

The project is part of a comprehensive development plan in the economic zone which is a leading strategic project with the aim of generating a quantum jump in the national economy, according to the local Oman Observer newspaper.

Site preparation work is expected to start in the first quarter of 2015 and finish in the first quarter of 2016.

The work involves excavation and soil compaction for the construction of the refinery, which is slated to commence in 2016.

Duqm has been designated as Oman’s next industrial centre, with investments of up to $15 billion targeted in petrochemicals and infrastructure over the next 10 years.