Oman - plugging the deficit

Demand is rising faster than supply. Oman wants tight gas and Iran to fix the problem

Omanis are proud that Muscat and other cities avoided the pattern elsewhere in the Gulf of adopting architectural styles that express soaring ostentatiousness. Where Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Kuwait have opted for flashy sky-scraper cities, Oman has stuck to modest levels of urban development. But what Muscat saves by restricting skyward construction, it loses by urban sprawl, as the population continues to expand and increasing numbers seek livelihoods in the city. And low-rise buildings, as much high-rise ones, need electricity—lots of it. The problem is that Oman's gas production (plus the 250m cubic feet a day of Qatari gas it imports through the Dolphin pipeline via the UAE) remains steady,