Business & Finance Club - Oman (Salalah) - Salalah Methanol company announced starting the commercial production of its factory with a production capacity of 3125 tons per day of methanol.

Salalah Methanol company is one of the projects of the state-owned Oman Oil Company (OOC) which seeks to establish economic and investment projects that achieve added value for the Sultanate's crude oil and LNG production in a bid to increase the contribution of the industrial sector in the GDP.

Awadh bin Hassan al Shanfari, Director General of the company said that Salalah Methanol factory has been designed as per the latest specifications and world-class standards. The projects also meets all environmental requirements.

He pointed out that one of the main aims of the project is to transform the raw materials (natural gas) into a high value product that can be used in many basic industries. The natural gas will reach the company through a pipeline owned and managed by Oman Oil company.

Al Shanfari pointed out that Salalah Methanol factory market its production in a number of world markets through Oman International Trading which transport methanol products via the two vessels owned by Oman Shipping Company namely Muttrah and Al Amerat which in turns achieves added additional revenues from the company through transportation and marketing processes.

Al Shanfari also pointed out that the benefits of the factory are not limited to only sale, marketing, transportation and use of natural resources but also it contributes to providing job opportunities for national cadres in a number of professions and specialties. The national cadres were rehabilitated and trained on the technologies used in these industries. He pointed out that the 60 out of 164 employees are Omani. Work is also underway to train more Omanis as per the plans approved by company.