Duqm Refinery exports 633 shipments since launch, CEO says
Production rises to 110% capacity as operations stabilize; expands supply sources to 12 countries
The CEO of Kuwait’s Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Company, Engineer Abdullah Al-Ajmi, announced that 633 shipments have been exported to global markets since the start of operations of the Kuwaiti-Omani joint project in 2024.
In a statement carried by the Oman News Agency on the anniversary of the refinery’s inauguration on February 7, Al-Ajmi said 284 of those shipments were exported during 2025 alone, describing this as a clear indicator of improved performance, operational stability and the refinery’s ability to operate with increasing efficiency on a large scale.
Highlighting key achievements, Al-Ajmi said the refinery has recorded tangible progress in operational performance, with production capacity rising from 230,000 barrels per day to 255,000 barrels per day — equivalent to 110 percent of nameplate capacity.
He explained that this performance level reflects the success of operational enhancement programs and confirms the refinery’s ability to boost output while maintaining stability, reliability and operational discipline.
On the supply side, Al-Ajmi noted rapid development in the refinery’s crude sourcing system, with the number of supplying countries expanding from two in the early stages to 12. This diversification, he said, has strengthened supply chain flexibility, ensured continuity of operations and enhanced readiness to respond to changes in global markets.
Financially, he pointed to a major milestone achieved last March with the release of shareholders’ guarantees worth $4 billion after successfully passing lenders’ reliability tests. The achievement, he said, reflects growing confidence in the project, supported by balanced performance, institutional discipline and an integrated operating model.
Al-Ajmi added that spending on local content in procurement and services reached 12 percent of total expenditure in 2025, supporting small and medium enterprises. He stressed the refinery’s continued commitment to strengthening local content and engagement with the surrounding community.
The Duqm Refinery is a 50-50 joint venture between Oman Energy International (OQ) and Kuwait Petroleum International (Q8). It is the first fully integrated commercial refinery in the Middle East that relies entirely on diversified global crude sources rather than domestic oil, exporting its products to Asia, Africa and Europe.
Located in the Duqm Special Economic Zone in Oman’s Al Wusta Governorate, the refinery has a design capacity of 230,000 barrels per day and features advanced processing technologies, making it one of the region’s most sophisticated facilities.
The refinery was officially inaugurated on February 7, 2024, in the presence of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman.
