Oman's gas drive goes up a gear

Success in the country's first major non-associated gas project, and continued pent-up demand, are propelling efforts to increase output

Oman has confirmed a provisional agreement with BP and Italy's Eni to explore and exploit reserves in an area in the country's north-west, close to the former's landmark tight-gas discovery. The development is a further endorsement of Oman's strategy of enlisting majors to develop onshore non-associated gas reserves. Total selected participants in a design competition for an LNG facility planned to process any gas from an upstream concession awarded to the French firm and Shell last year. Despite early entry to the global LNG export industry, Oman has suffered an increasing shortage of gas over the past decade, forcing it to resort to imports and putting a brake on the government's downstrea