Duqm, 3 Mar (ONA) — Marafiq, a joint venture (JV) owned by OQ – a subsidiary ofOmanInvestment Authority (OIA), shared its substantial impact to the in-country value (ICV) through a series of managed projects within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD).
Eng. Abdullah Mohammed Al Hashimi, Managing Director of the Company, said that as of the conclusion of 2023, Marafiq’s direct contribution to the local economy (ICV) exceeded $100 million.
Emphasizing the Company’s ongoing efforts, he added that Marafiq is consistently striving to enhance its value add to ICV by actively sourcing for Omani products, awarding numerous contracts to local businesses, and prioritizing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in its tender processes.
Al Hashimi explained that Marafiq has successfully enhanced ICV by around $55 million through goods manufactured in Oman. It allocated $36 million in contracts to SMEs via the Duqm Integrated Power and Water Plant (DIPWP), and contributed up to $10 million in value-added projects in the drinking water sector.
He explained that Marafiq has developed an ambitious strategy aimed at advancing the electricity and drinking water sectors in the SEZAD. He emphasized that this strategy has already effectively provided electricity and drinking water to projects operating within the zone, as well as to residential, commercial, and tourist developments with heightened efficiency and reduced losses. Furthermore, it has played a vital role in curbing environmental emissions, reducing electricity production costs, and reducing government subsidies required for the electricity generation sector in the zone. Marafiq has already successfully achieved a reduction in environmental emissions, equivalent to removing 20 thousand vehicles from the road.
Al Hashimi also underscored the significant role played as a key proponent of economic development within the SEZAD via its endeavours in the power and water sectors. He also highlighted Marafiq’s operations in supplying power and desalinated water to the OQ8 Duqm Refinery, as well as delivering Power to the OOTCO Oil Storage Terminal in Ras Markaz via a new 80KM High Voltage transmission line between Duqm and Ras Markaz.
Al Hashimi further explained that Marafiq has effectively doubled the production capacity of drinking water in recent years, achieving a daily output of 9,000 cubic meters and expanding storage capacity to 22 thousand cubic meters. The company has undertaken various expansions to the network as part of its initiative to connect various diverse investment projects, industrial facilities, and commercial and residential properties to its managed water network.
Currently, the primary water transmission lines in the zone extend over 46 kilometers, with the water distribution network pipes totalling 131 kilometers in length. Additionally, the number of customers to the water network has reached approximately 2800 by the end of 2023, he added.
Marafiq manages and operates the Duqm Integrated Power and Water Plant (DIPWP), specifically developed for the OQ8 Duqm Refinery and Oil Terminal Facilities (OTTCO) in Ras Markaz. DIPWP boasts an installed capacity of 326 MW of Power and 36 thousand cubic meters of Desalinated Water per day. Additionally, Marafiq manages a 80MW gas turbine power plant to support the electricity requirements of the SEZAD grid.
Marafiq also manages the potable water sector within the SEZAD under the license granted by the Authority for Public Services Regulation (APSR). The Authority actively oversees the Company’s performance, conducts audits of its operations, and monitors efficiency in project implementation and operational expenditures. On a regular basis, Marafiq Company submits reports to the Authority detailing its operations, plans and projects executed to enhance the water sector’s performance, and adherence to the governments price control mechanism.
