TotalEnergies and OQEP break ground on Marsa LNG, Middle East's first bunkering hub
The commencement of the project, coming up in the port of Sohar, northern Oman, comes one year after the final investment decision.
The 1 million ton per year (Mt/y) liquefaction plant is being built by Marsa LNG LLC, a joint company between TotalEnergies (80 per cent equity stake) and OQEP (20 per cent stake).
The LNG production, which is expected to start in the first quarter of 2028, is primarily intended to serve the marine fuel market – LNG bunkering – in the Gulf.
The Marsa LNG plant will be fully electrified, with provision for a 300 megawatt-peak (MWp) photovoltaic solar farm that will supply the equivalent of the plant's annual energy needs.
The plant is billed as one of the lowest carbon intensity LNG plants in the world, with less than 3 kg CO 2 e/boe of scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Located at the entrance to the Gulf, the Marsa LNG site will be the first LNG bunkering hub in the Middle East, the companies said.
Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, said the flagship project demonstrates that LNG production can be very low carbon, contributing to making gas a long-term transition fuel.
'With an ambitious technical design, we intend to set the standard and pave the way for the next generation of low-emissions LNG plants across the world.
'We also offer an effective way to support the shipping sector's energy transition, by providing lower-emissions marine fuel in a key location at the entrance of the Gulf,' he said.
Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Oman's Minister of Energy and Minerals, reiterated the ministry's steadfast commitment to supporting downstream energy projects as a vital pillar of economic integration across the industrial, trade, port, and logistics sectors.
'The Marsa LNG project, a strategic collaboration project between OQ Exploration & Production and TotalEnergies, embodies this commitment by developing advanced infrastructure for supplying vessels with LNG as an alternative clean fuel,' he said.
Ahmed Al Azkawi, CEO of OQEP, said the Marsa LNG project represents a solid step forward, harnessing cutting-edge technology and strategic collaboration to ensure a cleaner, and affordable energy future.
'As the first LNG bunkering hub in the Middle East, Marsa LNG will play a pivotal role in reducing emissions in the shipping industry while reinforcing Oman's position as a key player in the global energy sector,' he said.
A charter contract for a new LNG bunkering vessel has been signed by Marsa LNG LLC, the company said.
The vessel, currently under construction, will be stationed in Sohar from 2028, where it will supply LNG to a wide range of vessels such as container ships, tankers and large cruise ships, it said.
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