Worker assaulted for refusing to work overtime
By V L Srinivasan
Manama (Bahrain), Oct 2: Despair was writ large on the face of Prabhakaran Kunjumon as he described to DT how he was assaulted and thrown out of the company accommodation four days ago, for refusing to work overtime.
But he looked satisfied yesterday after lighting the Nilivilakku, the traditional lamp, at the Onasadhya 2010, in the presence of Indian Ambassador to Bahrain Dr. George Joseph and other dignitaries.
The event was organised by the Surya Social and Cultural Association (SSCA) at the Indian Club for Indian expat workers located in various labour camps across the Kingdom.
Recalling the incident, Prabhakaran said that although he was already working from 3am to 4.30pm every day, his employers wanted him to work till 8.30pm on Tuesday. “When I expressed my inability, as I had to attend to domestic chores, I was assaulted by the company foreman at the behest of the sponsor,” Prabhakaran alleged.
Denied transportation home, Prabhakaran walked 8km from the worksite to the company accommodation in Askar, but fearing another assault he decided to spend the night elsewhere.
The next day, he approached the Riffa police station and lodged a complaint against the sponsor and the person who assaulted him. The police asked him to get a medical examination done at the Salmaniya Medical Complex and to submit the report to them.
Angered by Prabhakaran’s decision to go to the police, the sponsor allegedly kicked him out of the company accommodation on Wednesday.
After spending the whole day on the streets, Prabhakaran went to the Indian Embassy on Thursday where he met SSCA vice president T. Sudhir and told him of his plight. Sudhir made arrangements for the worker to stay at the house of one of his friends.
“We have taken him for a medical examination and got the report which confirmed that he was manhandled,” SSCA President P. P. Basheer told DT. Indian Embassy officials are also trying to help him out, Basheer said.
Prabhakaran is said to be reluctant to return to India as he borrowed BD440 to get the job in Bahrain and has yet to clear the debt. In addition to this, he says he was promised a salary of BD120 but was paid only BD80 per month for the past year. “I availed of the loan on interest and I cannot return unless I clear it,” he said.
Prabhakaran has been working for the private construction company as a shovel operator for one year. He says he was threatened before for refusing to work extra hours, but this is the first time he was beaten up.
The sponsor has reportedly promised Prabhakaran his salary for last month provided he withdraws the police complaint.
However, the SSCA is not willing to agree to this condition. “We are demanding that compensation be given to Prabhakaran,” Basheer said.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
First Omani to climb Everest
Khalid al Siyabi dedicates his achievement to the 40th National Day celebrations in the sultanate
Our Correspondent
Muscat, May 23: Scaling dizzy heights in mountaineering, Khalid bin Sulaiman al Siyabi became the first Omani to climb Mount Everest, the highest summit in the world at 8,848 m above sea level on Sunday.
The 37 year old Omani adventurer, who undertook a two month journey to achieve the distinction, reached the top of the mountain at 10.15am (Oman time) and hoisted the national flag.
Siyabi’s wife Eman spoke to him shortly after he had reached the summit. “The line was very unclear due to extreme winds. All I heard was that he was fine and very, very happy to have made it.”
Siyabi had joined a team of adventurers from the US, UK, Turkey, Finland, Ireland, Australia and Argentina and spent nearly two months in training and acclimatising to the weather and altitude. The adventurers were divided into four groups for the final climb.
After raising the national flag on Mount Everest, a delighted Siyabi told the Oman News Agency said that his mission was not easy with fluctuating weather conditions leading to avalanches and biting cold with temperatures dipping to as low as -50oC. The strong, icy winds delayed their climb on more than one occasion. “The conditions were so tough that some of the team members were forced to withdraw.”
Siyabi was, however, clear in his mind that failure was not an option. With the sultanate celebrating its 40th National Day in November this year, he believed that all he had to offer was this achievement to express his “loyalty and allegiance to the leader of the blessed march, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.”
His success on Mount Everest, Siyabi knew, would put his country on the world map, raising awareness of Oman and its rich history and culture.
This was also Siyabi’s opportunity to become a role model for the country’s youth, like others before him. In Oman where the majority of the population is under the age of 17, it is important for the “ambitious youth to know that you can overcome any kind of challenge that you face in your life.”
Siyabi was also the first from the Arab region to climb Mount Pumori (7,145m) last year, one of the most popular climbs in the Himalayas.
(With inputs from ONA)
Our Correspondent
Muscat, May 23: Scaling dizzy heights in mountaineering, Khalid bin Sulaiman al Siyabi became the first Omani to climb Mount Everest, the highest summit in the world at 8,848 m above sea level on Sunday.
The 37 year old Omani adventurer, who undertook a two month journey to achieve the distinction, reached the top of the mountain at 10.15am (Oman time) and hoisted the national flag.
Siyabi’s wife Eman spoke to him shortly after he had reached the summit. “The line was very unclear due to extreme winds. All I heard was that he was fine and very, very happy to have made it.”
Siyabi had joined a team of adventurers from the US, UK, Turkey, Finland, Ireland, Australia and Argentina and spent nearly two months in training and acclimatising to the weather and altitude. The adventurers were divided into four groups for the final climb.
After raising the national flag on Mount Everest, a delighted Siyabi told the Oman News Agency said that his mission was not easy with fluctuating weather conditions leading to avalanches and biting cold with temperatures dipping to as low as -50oC. The strong, icy winds delayed their climb on more than one occasion. “The conditions were so tough that some of the team members were forced to withdraw.”
Siyabi was, however, clear in his mind that failure was not an option. With the sultanate celebrating its 40th National Day in November this year, he believed that all he had to offer was this achievement to express his “loyalty and allegiance to the leader of the blessed march, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.”
His success on Mount Everest, Siyabi knew, would put his country on the world map, raising awareness of Oman and its rich history and culture.
This was also Siyabi’s opportunity to become a role model for the country’s youth, like others before him. In Oman where the majority of the population is under the age of 17, it is important for the “ambitious youth to know that you can overcome any kind of challenge that you face in your life.”
Siyabi was also the first from the Arab region to climb Mount Pumori (7,145m) last year, one of the most popular climbs in the Himalayas.
(With inputs from ONA)
Oman gains five places in Global Enabling Trade Report 2010
The sultanate has secured 29th position among 125 countries and stands third in the GCC region
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, May 18 - Making rapid strides in global trade, the sultanate has secured 29th place among 125 countries, moving up from its 34th position last year. It also ranked third in the GCC region, according to the Global Enabling Trade Report (GETR), which will be released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday.
Published for the third year in a row and covering 125 economies worldwide, the report presents a resource for dialogue and provides a yardstick of the extent to which economies have in place the necessary attributes for enabling trade and where improvements are most needed.
The Muscat-based International Research Foundation, which is managed by the Arabian Research Bureau, is the Partner Institute for the World Economic Forum in preparing the report by conducting an Executive Opinion Survey.
Amongst the GCC countries, Oman with a score of 4.71 came behind UAE and Bahrain. UAE was ranked 16th globally with a score of 5.12, and Bahrain took the 24th position with a score of 4.95. Oman’s climb in the global rankings is the highest among all GCC member states.
Qatar had a score of 4.68 and a global rank of 34, Saudi Arabia came in 40th with 4.54. Kuwait was at the bottom of the GCC table with 4.01 and a global rank of 65 and was the only GCC nation to drop in rank since 2009 when it ranked 59th.
Commenting on the performance of the sultanate, Arabian Research Bureau managing director
Gus Freeman said that this year's rankings mirrored the resilience against the threat of protectionism during the economic crisis.
“International agreements such as the WTO framework and pledges by the G20 have contributed to limiting the effect of protectionist pressures on trade barriers. Despite fears of rising protectionism, the report confirms that a large majority of countries did not raise trade barriers,” he said.
Singapore retained the first rank followed by Hong Kong, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland with New Zealand behind in 6th place, moving up five ranks since 2009. The other countries in the top ten are Norway, Canada, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Iceland entered the index for the first time this year and debuted at 11th place.
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, May 18 - Making rapid strides in global trade, the sultanate has secured 29th place among 125 countries, moving up from its 34th position last year. It also ranked third in the GCC region, according to the Global Enabling Trade Report (GETR), which will be released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday.
Published for the third year in a row and covering 125 economies worldwide, the report presents a resource for dialogue and provides a yardstick of the extent to which economies have in place the necessary attributes for enabling trade and where improvements are most needed.
The Muscat-based International Research Foundation, which is managed by the Arabian Research Bureau, is the Partner Institute for the World Economic Forum in preparing the report by conducting an Executive Opinion Survey.
Amongst the GCC countries, Oman with a score of 4.71 came behind UAE and Bahrain. UAE was ranked 16th globally with a score of 5.12, and Bahrain took the 24th position with a score of 4.95. Oman’s climb in the global rankings is the highest among all GCC member states.
Qatar had a score of 4.68 and a global rank of 34, Saudi Arabia came in 40th with 4.54. Kuwait was at the bottom of the GCC table with 4.01 and a global rank of 65 and was the only GCC nation to drop in rank since 2009 when it ranked 59th.
Commenting on the performance of the sultanate, Arabian Research Bureau managing director
Gus Freeman said that this year's rankings mirrored the resilience against the threat of protectionism during the economic crisis.
“International agreements such as the WTO framework and pledges by the G20 have contributed to limiting the effect of protectionist pressures on trade barriers. Despite fears of rising protectionism, the report confirms that a large majority of countries did not raise trade barriers,” he said.
Singapore retained the first rank followed by Hong Kong, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland with New Zealand behind in 6th place, moving up five ranks since 2009. The other countries in the top ten are Norway, Canada, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Iceland entered the index for the first time this year and debuted at 11th place.
DPC to add 50MW power for peak demand
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, May 31 - To mitigate the shortfall in power generation during peak demand periods this year and in 2011, Dhofar Power Company (DPC) has decided to go for temporary additional power generation in the Dhofar region.
The other factor in favour of the decision to generate additional power was taken at the request of state-owned Oman Power and Water Procurement Co (OPWP), which has been exploring all means to meet the growing demand for power in the sultanate. DPC is one of the subsidiaries of Electricity Holding Company (EHC).
In the Dhofar region, maximum demand is expected to grow from 297MW in 2009 to 615MW by 2016, an average annual increase of around 11 per cent, or 45MW per year, with annual energy demand growing at a similar rate, from 1.7 TWh in 2009 to 3.6TWh in 2016.
According to EHC chief executive Karl Matacz, the DPC has made arrangements for renting mobile gas turbines and the same are being erected and scheduled to be commissioned by the first week of June.
“The project will generate about 50MW of additional power on a temporary basis for the Salalah Power System using trailer-mounted LM 2500 aero derivative gas turbine generators, which have been rented from GE International in Oman,” he told Muscat Daily.
The primary fuel for this facility would be natural gas with diesel oil as the secondary fuel. The additional generation facility would be located on the land leased from the Salalah Free Zone in Raysut Industrial Area, which is next to DPC's new power station.
“The generators are taken on rent for 18 months from June 1 and the project is expected to begin generation of electricity shortly,” he said.
During the first quarter of 2010, the company has also taken up execution of fast track projects, worth approximately RO6mn, and completed them to strengthen the transmission and distribution system to avoid overloading and interruptions during summer, he added.
Muscat, May 31 - To mitigate the shortfall in power generation during peak demand periods this year and in 2011, Dhofar Power Company (DPC) has decided to go for temporary additional power generation in the Dhofar region.
The other factor in favour of the decision to generate additional power was taken at the request of state-owned Oman Power and Water Procurement Co (OPWP), which has been exploring all means to meet the growing demand for power in the sultanate. DPC is one of the subsidiaries of Electricity Holding Company (EHC).
In the Dhofar region, maximum demand is expected to grow from 297MW in 2009 to 615MW by 2016, an average annual increase of around 11 per cent, or 45MW per year, with annual energy demand growing at a similar rate, from 1.7 TWh in 2009 to 3.6TWh in 2016.
According to EHC chief executive Karl Matacz, the DPC has made arrangements for renting mobile gas turbines and the same are being erected and scheduled to be commissioned by the first week of June.
“The project will generate about 50MW of additional power on a temporary basis for the Salalah Power System using trailer-mounted LM 2500 aero derivative gas turbine generators, which have been rented from GE International in Oman,” he told Muscat Daily.
The primary fuel for this facility would be natural gas with diesel oil as the secondary fuel. The additional generation facility would be located on the land leased from the Salalah Free Zone in Raysut Industrial Area, which is next to DPC's new power station.
“The generators are taken on rent for 18 months from June 1 and the project is expected to begin generation of electricity shortly,” he said.
During the first quarter of 2010, the company has also taken up execution of fast track projects, worth approximately RO6mn, and completed them to strengthen the transmission and distribution system to avoid overloading and interruptions during summer, he added.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
OPWP plans power project in Sur with gas as feedstock
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, May 2 - After putting on hold the 1,000MW coal-fired power project in Duqm, the Oman Power and Water Procurement Co (OPWP) is considering a gasbased power plant of equal capacity at Sur, in the Sharqiyah region.
OPWP officials were looking for an alternative after their plan to set up the coal-fired power project at Duqm was shelved after members of the Majlis a’Shura and Majlis al Dawla expressed their reservations at a seminar organised by the Ministry of National Economy (MoNE) early this year.
OPWP officials are already in consultation with their counterparts in the Ministry of Oil and Gas and after a final decision is taken in the coming two to three months, expressions of interest will be called from private parties for the project.
The project, for which 4-5mn cu m of natural gas is required, will be commissioned within 36 months of the start of work. However, OPWP is yet to take a decision on whether to construct a desalination plant along with the power project.
“We need to double the existing capacity of 4,000MW in the next seven years so as to meet the demand for electricity which is growing at the rate of 13 per cent per annum,” official sources in OPWP told Muscat Daily.
According to them, Sur is being considered as a pipeline for supplying gas already exists and it was a good location for the grid with its better transmission infrastructure. The other advantage for Sur is that several industries were coming up in the Sharqiyah region and they too would need power for their operations, sources said.
Muscat, May 2 - After putting on hold the 1,000MW coal-fired power project in Duqm, the Oman Power and Water Procurement Co (OPWP) is considering a gasbased power plant of equal capacity at Sur, in the Sharqiyah region.
OPWP officials were looking for an alternative after their plan to set up the coal-fired power project at Duqm was shelved after members of the Majlis a’Shura and Majlis al Dawla expressed their reservations at a seminar organised by the Ministry of National Economy (MoNE) early this year.
OPWP officials are already in consultation with their counterparts in the Ministry of Oil and Gas and after a final decision is taken in the coming two to three months, expressions of interest will be called from private parties for the project.
The project, for which 4-5mn cu m of natural gas is required, will be commissioned within 36 months of the start of work. However, OPWP is yet to take a decision on whether to construct a desalination plant along with the power project.
“We need to double the existing capacity of 4,000MW in the next seven years so as to meet the demand for electricity which is growing at the rate of 13 per cent per annum,” official sources in OPWP told Muscat Daily.
According to them, Sur is being considered as a pipeline for supplying gas already exists and it was a good location for the grid with its better transmission infrastructure. The other advantage for Sur is that several industries were coming up in the Sharqiyah region and they too would need power for their operations, sources said.
Aviation fuel market set to take off
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, May 8 - Increased operations of commercial airlines in Oman has fuelled the demand for aviation oil, which is expected to rise 5-10 per cent this year. The estimated sale of aviation fuel in 2008 was 325mn litres and 359mn l in 2009. This is expected to be between 390-400mn l this year.
Jet fuel in the sultanate is produced by Oman Refineries and Petrochemicals Company (ORPC) at Mina al Fahal and transported by road tankers and ships to the different airports in Oman. The dual purpose kerosene produced by ORPC is sold as Jet A-1 for aviation purposes and as domestic fuel for retail and commercial markets.
At present, three oil companies - Oman Oil Marketing Company (OOMCO), Shell Oman, and Al Maha - are engaged in fuelling aircraft flying into and out of the country. These firms also supply fuel to the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) at its bases across the sultanate.
OOMCO is currently the major aviation fuel supplier at the Muscat International Airport, serving over 17 commercial airlines including Oman Air, British Airways, Gulf Air, Air Arabia, Saudi Airlines, Kuwait Airways and Royal Jordanian. OOMCO officials feel that aviation jet fuel demand will continue to grow, especially at the Muscat and Salalah international airports. The growth in demand will be spearheaded by Oman Air, which will be launching flights to around half a dozen new destinations around the world.
“The construction of new greenfield airports - Ras al Hadd, Adam, Duqm, Sohar - and expansion of Muscat and Salalah airports will potentially attract more activity, which in turn will increase the demand for jet fuel in future,” Ahmad Kamel Mahmud, general manager (aviation and marine), OOMCO told Muscat Daily.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Middle Eastern carriers recorded the strongest traffic growth, at 25.9 per cent, in March this year.
Shell Oman's aviation manager Redha Juma al Lawati said that the jet fuel business was expected to grow ten per cent this year. The company has a customer base of more than 15 airliners including KLM, Air France and Air India.
Shell has developed the 50-50 blend of synthetic gas-to-liquids (GTL) kerosene and conventional oil-based kerosene fuel. "The fuel, as an alternative to conventional oil-based kerosene, will contribute to diversification of aviation fuel supply. It also burns with lower sulphur dioxide and particulate emissions than conventional oil-based kerosene, making it attractive for improving local air quality at busy airports," he said.
Al Maha, which is the other company in the aviation fuel business in the sultanate, also hopes to increase its sales by six per cent on account of new customers this year. Though the company's sales volume increased by 27 per cent in 2009 on account of increased consumption by its existing and new customers, revenue witnessed a reduction of 25 per cent in 2009, compared to 2008, due to the decrease in prices.
Muscat, May 8 - Increased operations of commercial airlines in Oman has fuelled the demand for aviation oil, which is expected to rise 5-10 per cent this year. The estimated sale of aviation fuel in 2008 was 325mn litres and 359mn l in 2009. This is expected to be between 390-400mn l this year.
Jet fuel in the sultanate is produced by Oman Refineries and Petrochemicals Company (ORPC) at Mina al Fahal and transported by road tankers and ships to the different airports in Oman. The dual purpose kerosene produced by ORPC is sold as Jet A-1 for aviation purposes and as domestic fuel for retail and commercial markets.
At present, three oil companies - Oman Oil Marketing Company (OOMCO), Shell Oman, and Al Maha - are engaged in fuelling aircraft flying into and out of the country. These firms also supply fuel to the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) at its bases across the sultanate.
OOMCO is currently the major aviation fuel supplier at the Muscat International Airport, serving over 17 commercial airlines including Oman Air, British Airways, Gulf Air, Air Arabia, Saudi Airlines, Kuwait Airways and Royal Jordanian. OOMCO officials feel that aviation jet fuel demand will continue to grow, especially at the Muscat and Salalah international airports. The growth in demand will be spearheaded by Oman Air, which will be launching flights to around half a dozen new destinations around the world.
“The construction of new greenfield airports - Ras al Hadd, Adam, Duqm, Sohar - and expansion of Muscat and Salalah airports will potentially attract more activity, which in turn will increase the demand for jet fuel in future,” Ahmad Kamel Mahmud, general manager (aviation and marine), OOMCO told Muscat Daily.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Middle Eastern carriers recorded the strongest traffic growth, at 25.9 per cent, in March this year.
Shell Oman's aviation manager Redha Juma al Lawati said that the jet fuel business was expected to grow ten per cent this year. The company has a customer base of more than 15 airliners including KLM, Air France and Air India.
Shell has developed the 50-50 blend of synthetic gas-to-liquids (GTL) kerosene and conventional oil-based kerosene fuel. "The fuel, as an alternative to conventional oil-based kerosene, will contribute to diversification of aviation fuel supply. It also burns with lower sulphur dioxide and particulate emissions than conventional oil-based kerosene, making it attractive for improving local air quality at busy airports," he said.
Al Maha, which is the other company in the aviation fuel business in the sultanate, also hopes to increase its sales by six per cent on account of new customers this year. Though the company's sales volume increased by 27 per cent in 2009 on account of increased consumption by its existing and new customers, revenue witnessed a reduction of 25 per cent in 2009, compared to 2008, due to the decrease in prices.
OWS, SIPC to set up oil and gas hub at Sohar freezone
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, May 1 - The agreement signed between Oil Field Warehouse & Services (OWS) and Freezone Sohar (FzS) for setting up an oil and gas enclave in an area of 50 hectares in the free zone is expected to provide the much needed relief for drilling companies in the country.
The agreement was signed by Sohar Industrial Port Co (SIPC) chief executive Jan Meijer and Freezone Sohar's chief operating officer Jamal T Aziz and OWS managing director Vinay R Sharma at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
At present, the majority of such companies providing backup services are located in the Jebel Ali and other freezones in neighbouring UAE, but a few are spread across the sultanate. In fact, OWS is the first company to set up an oil and gas enclave in the sultanate and expects to attract more than 100 firms, which provide technical services to drilling companies to open their workshops, manufacturing setups and maintenance bases in the enclave. The agreement will be in force till 2043.
"We want to develop an oil and gas hub in FzS, which will not only serve the oil drilling companies in the sultanate but also in the entire Middle East and in Asia," OWS managing director Vinay R Sharma said.
Speaking to Muscat Daily after signing the agreement with FzS officials, Sharma said that they were creating an atmosphere where people can start businesses by reducing their administration and operation costs along with ease of operations. "It is also a proud moment and we hope that it will set an example to others to follow us. OWS will act as a facilitator for the new companies by providing one stop services that include lease of ready to move in factories and other support and expects to do a business of about US$200-300mn during the 33-year agreement period,” Sharma said.
Mott MacDonald & Co managing director Vinod Shah signed a separate agreement for the design and engineering services for the first phase of the FzS coming up in 500 hectares in the North Batinah region. This multidisciplinary project will be managed by Mott MacDonald’s specialists in Oman and the UAE with support from technical staff in India and the UK.
Vinod Shah said that Sohar, which boasts a world-class port facility, is being positioned as the new entry point to the Gulf, due to its strategic location and access to existing and emerging transportation links. The freezone, located adjacent to the port will complement the port facility and contribute significantly to the realisation of the Greater Sohar Industrial Area.
“Our scope of work for FzS includes detailing the concept master plan for the site, geotechnical investigations and the design of roads, site fencing and storm water drainage requirements. Our team will also prepare development control regulations to guide the development of the site and anage the tendering process for the construction of infrastructure,” he said.
Muscat, May 1 - The agreement signed between Oil Field Warehouse & Services (OWS) and Freezone Sohar (FzS) for setting up an oil and gas enclave in an area of 50 hectares in the free zone is expected to provide the much needed relief for drilling companies in the country.
The agreement was signed by Sohar Industrial Port Co (SIPC) chief executive Jan Meijer and Freezone Sohar's chief operating officer Jamal T Aziz and OWS managing director Vinay R Sharma at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
At present, the majority of such companies providing backup services are located in the Jebel Ali and other freezones in neighbouring UAE, but a few are spread across the sultanate. In fact, OWS is the first company to set up an oil and gas enclave in the sultanate and expects to attract more than 100 firms, which provide technical services to drilling companies to open their workshops, manufacturing setups and maintenance bases in the enclave. The agreement will be in force till 2043.
"We want to develop an oil and gas hub in FzS, which will not only serve the oil drilling companies in the sultanate but also in the entire Middle East and in Asia," OWS managing director Vinay R Sharma said.
Speaking to Muscat Daily after signing the agreement with FzS officials, Sharma said that they were creating an atmosphere where people can start businesses by reducing their administration and operation costs along with ease of operations. "It is also a proud moment and we hope that it will set an example to others to follow us. OWS will act as a facilitator for the new companies by providing one stop services that include lease of ready to move in factories and other support and expects to do a business of about US$200-300mn during the 33-year agreement period,” Sharma said.
Mott MacDonald & Co managing director Vinod Shah signed a separate agreement for the design and engineering services for the first phase of the FzS coming up in 500 hectares in the North Batinah region. This multidisciplinary project will be managed by Mott MacDonald’s specialists in Oman and the UAE with support from technical staff in India and the UK.
Vinod Shah said that Sohar, which boasts a world-class port facility, is being positioned as the new entry point to the Gulf, due to its strategic location and access to existing and emerging transportation links. The freezone, located adjacent to the port will complement the port facility and contribute significantly to the realisation of the Greater Sohar Industrial Area.
“Our scope of work for FzS includes detailing the concept master plan for the site, geotechnical investigations and the design of roads, site fencing and storm water drainage requirements. Our team will also prepare development control regulations to guide the development of the site and anage the tendering process for the construction of infrastructure,” he said.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Omani firm to supply quartz stone tiles for Dubai Metro
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, May 1 - Superior quartz stones from Oman will adorn the stations in the second phase of the prestigious Dubai Metro rail project.
The Dubai Metro has asked Sohar-based Gulf Stone Company, which produces quartz based engineered stone, to supply the same for the second phase of the 'green line' project.
This is the second time the company will provide quartz stones to the Dubai Metro. Its quartz stone tiles have already been used for flooring and side walls in the Khalid bin al Waleed, Mall of the Emirates and other railway stations in the first phase of the project.
The total length of the second phase of the Metro between Al Ghusais and Al Jadaf is 23km. The company has already supplied more than 70,000sq m of quartz stone for the first phase. The second phase is likely to be opened on October 10 this year.
Confirming the negotiations with Dubai Metro, Gulf Stone general manager Abdulmonem al Murshidi said that the talks were on for the supply agreement. "The details of the deal are to be finalised within a week," he told Muscat Daily.
Interestingly, Gulf Stone is the only company which has been chosen from among the Arab world for providing the material. Besides Gulf Stone, another company from Iran is supplying the material but in small quantities, the rest of the supplies are from Europe and Asia.
Murshidi said that his company has been procuring the raw material from India and with the exclusive technology acquired from the Italy-based Breton SPA. The high density tiles are made of granules of high grade quartz/silica (91-92 per cent) and blended with engineered polyester resin, an organic compound which acts as a bonding agent.
Muscat, May 1 - Superior quartz stones from Oman will adorn the stations in the second phase of the prestigious Dubai Metro rail project.
The Dubai Metro has asked Sohar-based Gulf Stone Company, which produces quartz based engineered stone, to supply the same for the second phase of the 'green line' project.
This is the second time the company will provide quartz stones to the Dubai Metro. Its quartz stone tiles have already been used for flooring and side walls in the Khalid bin al Waleed, Mall of the Emirates and other railway stations in the first phase of the project.
The total length of the second phase of the Metro between Al Ghusais and Al Jadaf is 23km. The company has already supplied more than 70,000sq m of quartz stone for the first phase. The second phase is likely to be opened on October 10 this year.
Confirming the negotiations with Dubai Metro, Gulf Stone general manager Abdulmonem al Murshidi said that the talks were on for the supply agreement. "The details of the deal are to be finalised within a week," he told Muscat Daily.
Interestingly, Gulf Stone is the only company which has been chosen from among the Arab world for providing the material. Besides Gulf Stone, another company from Iran is supplying the material but in small quantities, the rest of the supplies are from Europe and Asia.
Murshidi said that his company has been procuring the raw material from India and with the exclusive technology acquired from the Italy-based Breton SPA. The high density tiles are made of granules of high grade quartz/silica (91-92 per cent) and blended with engineered polyester resin, an organic compound which acts as a bonding agent.
We want Oman to be a role model for other nations: NHRC
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, May 1 - Two months after it was set up by a Royal Decree No 10/2010, petitions have been trickling into the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) office from all over Oman.
Numbering around a dozen and a half, these petitions, seeking redressal of grievances, are being referred to the appropriate panels within the commission. Three sub-committees have been constituted by the NHRC to study the petitions and check their veracity. If they are found to be baseless, the petitioners will be informed that no action will be taken on them.
NHRC chairman H E Mohammed bin Abdullah al Riyami told Muscat Daily that these petitions were of different kinds, and would be evaluated and analysed first. If found to be genuine, they will be sent to the relevant departments along with the commission's recommendations, which are mandatory, for necessary action.
He said the commission can also receive complaints on harassment of employees by employers, and prisoners' human rights violations. “We will follow up all cases we receive, to their final conclusion. However, the NHRC will not be a substitute for the courts or public prosecution, as it has no judicial powers,” he pointed out.
At present, the commission is drafting the rules and regulations which will be sent to the State Council for approval. The entire process can take another three to four weeks, and the commission hopes they will be in place within the next month or so.
“Our aim is to further improve the human rights record in the sultanate and preserve the rights of citizens and expatriates. We want Oman to be a role model for other countries in the region as far as practising human rights is concerned,” he said, adding that the Basic Statute Law, which has issued after Royal Decree 101/1996, has set the foundation for human rights under different articles.
The NHRC plans to launch its website soon, and people who are residing far away from Muscat and cannot submit their petitions in person, will be able to do so online. However, they must meet the NHRC officials for formal processing of the case.
“While petitioners living in Muscat will be asked to come to the NHRC office for disposal of the case, the commission's members will visit distant places like Musandam and Salalah to meet them. As part of its key mandates, the commission will submit annual reports to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said every year on its activities,” Riyami said.
On cooperation with government departments and other entities, he said the NHRC members have already begun visiting them to ensure a working relationship for achieving common goals with regard to human rights. The departments have also responded positively and assured the commission of their full cooperation.
Muscat, May 1 - Two months after it was set up by a Royal Decree No 10/2010, petitions have been trickling into the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) office from all over Oman.
Numbering around a dozen and a half, these petitions, seeking redressal of grievances, are being referred to the appropriate panels within the commission. Three sub-committees have been constituted by the NHRC to study the petitions and check their veracity. If they are found to be baseless, the petitioners will be informed that no action will be taken on them.
NHRC chairman H E Mohammed bin Abdullah al Riyami told Muscat Daily that these petitions were of different kinds, and would be evaluated and analysed first. If found to be genuine, they will be sent to the relevant departments along with the commission's recommendations, which are mandatory, for necessary action.
He said the commission can also receive complaints on harassment of employees by employers, and prisoners' human rights violations. “We will follow up all cases we receive, to their final conclusion. However, the NHRC will not be a substitute for the courts or public prosecution, as it has no judicial powers,” he pointed out.
At present, the commission is drafting the rules and regulations which will be sent to the State Council for approval. The entire process can take another three to four weeks, and the commission hopes they will be in place within the next month or so.
“Our aim is to further improve the human rights record in the sultanate and preserve the rights of citizens and expatriates. We want Oman to be a role model for other countries in the region as far as practising human rights is concerned,” he said, adding that the Basic Statute Law, which has issued after Royal Decree 101/1996, has set the foundation for human rights under different articles.
The NHRC plans to launch its website soon, and people who are residing far away from Muscat and cannot submit their petitions in person, will be able to do so online. However, they must meet the NHRC officials for formal processing of the case.
“While petitioners living in Muscat will be asked to come to the NHRC office for disposal of the case, the commission's members will visit distant places like Musandam and Salalah to meet them. As part of its key mandates, the commission will submit annual reports to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said every year on its activities,” Riyami said.
On cooperation with government departments and other entities, he said the NHRC members have already begun visiting them to ensure a working relationship for achieving common goals with regard to human rights. The departments have also responded positively and assured the commission of their full cooperation.
OESHCO plans to set up tyre recycling plant in Oman
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, May 1 - Alarmed at the growing number of scrap tyres in the sultanate, the Oman Environmental Services Holdings Company (OESHCO) is planning to set up a tyre recycling plant in the country.
In response to OESHCO’s strategy to recycle tyres, several companies have expressed interest and one of them has already submitted a proposal to recycle the scrap tyres and export around 9,000 tonnes per year to other countries as raw material.
OESHCO has also invited other interested companies to submit their proposals. The location of the plant will be decided after conducting detailed feasibility studies and receiving feedback from the interested parties.
“We are considering more such companies to operate in different regions of the sultanate to process used tyres in a similar manner. These companies can also produce by-products from recycled tyres for local consumption and export the rest as raw material, or manufacture products locally for export,” Lt Col (Retd) Azhar Haroun al Kindi, chief executive, OESCHO, told Muscat Daily.
According to the statistics provided by OESHCO officials, the number of four wheeler tyres imported by Oman has shot up by 276 per cent between 2004 and 2008.
As against 95,468 tyres imported in 2004, it has gone up to 362,584 in 2008, and this is attributed to the rise in the number of registered cars in the sultanate, around 752,800 as of November 2009.
What is disturbing is that disposal of the used and worn out tyres in an eco-friendly manner is proving to be a major challenge for the OESHCO officials.
Established in August 2009 through a Royal Decree (No 46/2009), OESHCO is tasked with the implementation of the government’s policy with regard to the management and operation of the waste sector’s activities in accordance with national strategy. At present, about three million used tyres are stored in a landfill in the Dhofar region. If recycled, these worn-out tyres would yield approximately 40,000 tonnes of raw material.
“These materials could then be used to manufacture floor mats and carpet underlay, surface covers in health clubs, under road surface, landfill linings, road barriers, highway embankments and many other products,“ Kindi said.
Currently, used tyres are disposed of at designated landfills separated from other types of waste. Part of OESHCO’s strategy to tackle the used tyre issue will be to set up a treatment and recycle facility to dispose of these tyres along with public awareness programmes on ways to maintain and prolong the lifespan of tyres.
"If drivers are aware of how to maintain their tyres to prolong their life, the number of tyres discarded before the end of their lifespan would be significantly reduced. The average life span of a car tyre is about three years and with proper maintenance and usage, it could be longer."
Sharing the concern of OESHCO with regard to the growing number of used tyres, the Environment Society of Oman (ESO) said that scrap tyres were one of the largest and most problematic sources of waste worldwide due to the large volumes produced, their durability and their heavy metal content.
While the options of reusing and recycling are always available, the consumers ought to minimise the production of tyre waste by trying to increase their shelf life as much as possible, ESO official Nida Helou said.
Muscat, May 1 - Alarmed at the growing number of scrap tyres in the sultanate, the Oman Environmental Services Holdings Company (OESHCO) is planning to set up a tyre recycling plant in the country.
In response to OESHCO’s strategy to recycle tyres, several companies have expressed interest and one of them has already submitted a proposal to recycle the scrap tyres and export around 9,000 tonnes per year to other countries as raw material.
OESHCO has also invited other interested companies to submit their proposals. The location of the plant will be decided after conducting detailed feasibility studies and receiving feedback from the interested parties.
“We are considering more such companies to operate in different regions of the sultanate to process used tyres in a similar manner. These companies can also produce by-products from recycled tyres for local consumption and export the rest as raw material, or manufacture products locally for export,” Lt Col (Retd) Azhar Haroun al Kindi, chief executive, OESCHO, told Muscat Daily.
According to the statistics provided by OESHCO officials, the number of four wheeler tyres imported by Oman has shot up by 276 per cent between 2004 and 2008.
As against 95,468 tyres imported in 2004, it has gone up to 362,584 in 2008, and this is attributed to the rise in the number of registered cars in the sultanate, around 752,800 as of November 2009.
What is disturbing is that disposal of the used and worn out tyres in an eco-friendly manner is proving to be a major challenge for the OESHCO officials.
Established in August 2009 through a Royal Decree (No 46/2009), OESHCO is tasked with the implementation of the government’s policy with regard to the management and operation of the waste sector’s activities in accordance with national strategy. At present, about three million used tyres are stored in a landfill in the Dhofar region. If recycled, these worn-out tyres would yield approximately 40,000 tonnes of raw material.
“These materials could then be used to manufacture floor mats and carpet underlay, surface covers in health clubs, under road surface, landfill linings, road barriers, highway embankments and many other products,“ Kindi said.
Currently, used tyres are disposed of at designated landfills separated from other types of waste. Part of OESHCO’s strategy to tackle the used tyre issue will be to set up a treatment and recycle facility to dispose of these tyres along with public awareness programmes on ways to maintain and prolong the lifespan of tyres.
"If drivers are aware of how to maintain their tyres to prolong their life, the number of tyres discarded before the end of their lifespan would be significantly reduced. The average life span of a car tyre is about three years and with proper maintenance and usage, it could be longer."
Sharing the concern of OESHCO with regard to the growing number of used tyres, the Environment Society of Oman (ESO) said that scrap tyres were one of the largest and most problematic sources of waste worldwide due to the large volumes produced, their durability and their heavy metal content.
While the options of reusing and recycling are always available, the consumers ought to minimise the production of tyre waste by trying to increase their shelf life as much as possible, ESO official Nida Helou said.
ITA to set up e-gov kiosks
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, April 28 - Taking e-governance services to the doorsteps of citizens, officials of the Information Technology Authority (ITA) are planning to install bi-lingual e-gov kiosks across the sultanate shortly.
These kiosks will help reduce the distance between citizens and the government. Numbering more than 30, including 20 in Muscat alone, these kiosks will help citizens register to avail of the various benefits of the proposed integrated e-services.
Under this, citizens can obtain building permissions and make payments of electricity and water bills and other services. The kiosks are to be set up latest by June.
A couple of kiosks, put up for display at the five-day COMEX 2010 exhibition, at the Oman International Trade Exhibition (OITE) Centre, has been drawing a large number of visitors, most of them from educational institutions, and ITA personnel were seen explaining the benefits of the service.
The kiosk resembles an ATM machine which can be operated using national identity cards. Once the registration is completed, an SMS will be sent to the applicant informing him/her on the transactions.
“This is a major milestone in the history of sultanate's ICT sector and we are planning to launch the integrated e-services portal in a day or two,” ITA manager (application & e services) Dhahi Bilaish Sulaiyan al Mashifara told Muscat Daily.
The Department of Agriculture has already planned to offer two to three services through the portal but more services from other departments and ministries will be added in the coming months, he said.
Another ITA official said that the government was also planning to announce the Sultan Qaboos Award for Excellence in e-Government to businesses and citizens from next year onwards. At present, the award is presented only to government entities.
Another major IT initiative launched by the government is the National IT Training and Awareness through which government employees, citizens and private sector are being imparted training in information technology. “We have trained 11,513 government employees and among them, 4,529 have received certificates so far,” the officials said.
For training the general public, the ITA has set up four Community Knowledge Centres (CKCs) - one each in Salalah, Muscat, Sur and Sohar. Plans are underway to establish six more centres by the end of this year. The ITA is planning to churn out around 900 skilled IT personnel from each CKC every year, the officials said.
The ITA has also engaged MasterCard to implement the National e-Payment Gateway (e- PG) system for the sultanate. MasterCard provides its Master-Card Internet Gateway Service, also known as 'MiGS' for the implementation.
MiGS is a modern, high performance and highly reliable epayment gateway system which operates worldwide to provide payment services for e-commerce.
The e-PG system, as implemented using the MiGS system, was launched in 2008 and currently provides access to merchants in the sultanate who would like to offer online shopping or e-commerce services via the Internet.
Though the number of users, including ROP, National Life & General Insurance, Omanbay, Tender Board, Ministry of Sports Affairs, Omantel and e-donations portal, are few, as many as 80,000 transactions have taken place totalling an amount of RO3mn so far. “We are planning to rope in more organisations and departments in the coming months,” officials said.
Muscat, April 28 - Taking e-governance services to the doorsteps of citizens, officials of the Information Technology Authority (ITA) are planning to install bi-lingual e-gov kiosks across the sultanate shortly.
These kiosks will help reduce the distance between citizens and the government. Numbering more than 30, including 20 in Muscat alone, these kiosks will help citizens register to avail of the various benefits of the proposed integrated e-services.
Under this, citizens can obtain building permissions and make payments of electricity and water bills and other services. The kiosks are to be set up latest by June.
A couple of kiosks, put up for display at the five-day COMEX 2010 exhibition, at the Oman International Trade Exhibition (OITE) Centre, has been drawing a large number of visitors, most of them from educational institutions, and ITA personnel were seen explaining the benefits of the service.
The kiosk resembles an ATM machine which can be operated using national identity cards. Once the registration is completed, an SMS will be sent to the applicant informing him/her on the transactions.
“This is a major milestone in the history of sultanate's ICT sector and we are planning to launch the integrated e-services portal in a day or two,” ITA manager (application & e services) Dhahi Bilaish Sulaiyan al Mashifara told Muscat Daily.
The Department of Agriculture has already planned to offer two to three services through the portal but more services from other departments and ministries will be added in the coming months, he said.
Another ITA official said that the government was also planning to announce the Sultan Qaboos Award for Excellence in e-Government to businesses and citizens from next year onwards. At present, the award is presented only to government entities.
Another major IT initiative launched by the government is the National IT Training and Awareness through which government employees, citizens and private sector are being imparted training in information technology. “We have trained 11,513 government employees and among them, 4,529 have received certificates so far,” the officials said.
For training the general public, the ITA has set up four Community Knowledge Centres (CKCs) - one each in Salalah, Muscat, Sur and Sohar. Plans are underway to establish six more centres by the end of this year. The ITA is planning to churn out around 900 skilled IT personnel from each CKC every year, the officials said.
The ITA has also engaged MasterCard to implement the National e-Payment Gateway (e- PG) system for the sultanate. MasterCard provides its Master-Card Internet Gateway Service, also known as 'MiGS' for the implementation.
MiGS is a modern, high performance and highly reliable epayment gateway system which operates worldwide to provide payment services for e-commerce.
The e-PG system, as implemented using the MiGS system, was launched in 2008 and currently provides access to merchants in the sultanate who would like to offer online shopping or e-commerce services via the Internet.
Though the number of users, including ROP, National Life & General Insurance, Omanbay, Tender Board, Ministry of Sports Affairs, Omantel and e-donations portal, are few, as many as 80,000 transactions have taken place totalling an amount of RO3mn so far. “We are planning to rope in more organisations and departments in the coming months,” officials said.
Food stuff at over 40 per cent of eateries can make you sick
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, April 6 - More than 40 per cent of all foodstuff stores, coffee shops and other eateries across the sultanate are not maintaining the quality of the food items that they sell, according to a study conducted by the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources (MRMWR).
The study, which was conducted in three phases last year across Dhofar, Buraimi, Batinah, Sharqiyah, Dhahirah, Musandam and Dakhliyah, does not include areas under the Muscat Municipality.
MRMWR officials collected 990 samples from various eateries and small retail shops, which were then analysed at the department’s eight laboratories across the sultanate.
“Though the analysis did not find any pathogenic bacteria in the samples, our inspectors found that these establishments have been switching off their freezers and serving stale food to their customers,” Eng Khalil Hassan Ali al Balushi, Supervisor of Food & Water Laboratory, MRMWR, told Muscat Daily.
Food stuff quality deteriorates rapidly, especially during summer if optimum temperatures are not maintained, resulting in food contamination. Those who consume this food will fall ill. “Even drinking water from plastic bottles that have been exposed to extreme heat poses a great risk to human health,” he said.
Inspectors have now been directed to visit these establishments in the morning and also late in the evening to destroy foodstuff that is of poor quality. Officials are also checking to see if hygienic conditions are maintained in eateries.
“All foodstuff handlers must adhere to health requirements and obtain health cards to prove they are not infected with contagious diseases after undergoing the required annual medical check ups at clinics or hospitals accredited by the Ministry of Health, he said.
First-time offenders will be issued warnings while repeat offenders will be fined and have their licenses cancelled if they fail to meet the prescribed standards during subsequent inspections, he added.
Food Safety Consultancy general manager Fran Collison said that food businesses have a legal obligation to serve safe food, meeting government specifications. “I have observed fantastic hygiene standards in some hotels and restaurants. But it is far from satisfactory on some other premises,” she said.
Muscat, April 6 - More than 40 per cent of all foodstuff stores, coffee shops and other eateries across the sultanate are not maintaining the quality of the food items that they sell, according to a study conducted by the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources (MRMWR).
The study, which was conducted in three phases last year across Dhofar, Buraimi, Batinah, Sharqiyah, Dhahirah, Musandam and Dakhliyah, does not include areas under the Muscat Municipality.
MRMWR officials collected 990 samples from various eateries and small retail shops, which were then analysed at the department’s eight laboratories across the sultanate.
“Though the analysis did not find any pathogenic bacteria in the samples, our inspectors found that these establishments have been switching off their freezers and serving stale food to their customers,” Eng Khalil Hassan Ali al Balushi, Supervisor of Food & Water Laboratory, MRMWR, told Muscat Daily.
Food stuff quality deteriorates rapidly, especially during summer if optimum temperatures are not maintained, resulting in food contamination. Those who consume this food will fall ill. “Even drinking water from plastic bottles that have been exposed to extreme heat poses a great risk to human health,” he said.
Inspectors have now been directed to visit these establishments in the morning and also late in the evening to destroy foodstuff that is of poor quality. Officials are also checking to see if hygienic conditions are maintained in eateries.
“All foodstuff handlers must adhere to health requirements and obtain health cards to prove they are not infected with contagious diseases after undergoing the required annual medical check ups at clinics or hospitals accredited by the Ministry of Health, he said.
First-time offenders will be issued warnings while repeat offenders will be fined and have their licenses cancelled if they fail to meet the prescribed standards during subsequent inspections, he added.
Food Safety Consultancy general manager Fran Collison said that food businesses have a legal obligation to serve safe food, meeting government specifications. “I have observed fantastic hygiene standards in some hotels and restaurants. But it is far from satisfactory on some other premises,” she said.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Software piracy in Oman highest among GCC nations
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, March 14 : Software piracy in Oman is the highest among the GCC nations, and is also above the average piracy rate of the Middle East and Africa (MENA) region, a study conducted by the Business Software Alliance-International Data Corporation (BSA-IDC) has revealed.
The sixth annual BSA-IDC Global Software report, which was released in May 2009, put the software piracy rate in the sultanate at around 62 per cent, causing a loss of US$25mn every year to the exchequer. In other words, of the estimated 430,000 personal computers in the country, 352,600 do not have original software installed.
Oman is followed by Kuwait (61 per cent), Bahrain (55), Saudi Arabia (52), Qatar (51) and UAE (37). Neighbouring Yemen has the dubious distinction of 89 per cent software piracy, and is listed eighth in the world.
‘The Middle East and Africa region has a piracy rate of 59 per cent in 2008, and is the fourth largest market for pirated software in the world. This resulted in a tangible overall economic loss of US$3bn across the region as a whole,’ the report said.
In fact, the UAE-based Microsoft Gulf recently lodged a complaint with the Economic Crimes department of the Royal Oman Police, which promptly conducted three anti-piracy raids against resellers and seized over 73 CDs of MS Windows and MS Office.
According to Microsoft Gulf's IPR manager Jawad al Redha, his company took a serious view of the issue, as its customers deserve the highest level of satisfaction when purchasing its products.
“Through our Genuine Software Initiative (GSI), we are creating awareness among our customers and also investing to develop world class anti-counterfeiting technologies. We are supporting government and law enforcement agencies who are taking action against counterfeiters,” he said.
According to industry sources, countries where counterfeit software is developed incur both tangible and intangible losses, as the producers of genuine software are reluctant to develop products in locations where counterfeiting takes place, causing an immediate loss in foreign direct investment (FDI). "These nations will witness an adverse impact on the social and economic systems, and not just the IT industry alone," sources told Muscat Daily.
Besides creating hundreds of IT jobs, acting tough against resellers of pirated software would also add sizeable revenue to the GDP, besides taxes for the country, the sources said.
Some of the steps, suggested by the IDC in its report, include establishing a clear and consistent legal framework, applying legislation with dedicated resources, increasing public awareness and extending co-operation at the domestic and international levels.
Cost Reflective Tariffs not to affect domestic consumers
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, March 3: The much talked Cost Reflective Tariffs (CRT), proposed to be introduced later this year, will not affect domestic consumers, a senior official of the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) confirmed.
AER is also finalising proposals for a special tariff for consumers with special needs to provide electricity at cheaper rates compared to other consumers. For this, AER has sought data from the Ministry of Social Development.
Once the proposals are ready, they will be submitted to the Council of Ministers for its approval. “The Authority is developing the CRT for commercial and industrial consumers of electricity in accordance with its statutory duties and they will not have any implications for residential consumers,” AER's deputy executive director Qais Saud al Zakwani told Muscat Daily.
“The proposals are aimed at protecting the consumers' interests and not harm them.” He said that the CRT will reduce future costs and limit increases in electricity subsidies that will help safeguard the provision of electricity supply to all consumers in the sultanate in future.
According to AER's public consultation paper on CRT, the total cost of supplying power to consumers was RO243mn in 2008 which included a government subsidy of RO63mn. The subsidy figure for 2009 is estimated to be over RO110mn.
The average consumption of industrial and commercial consumers increased by 37 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively between 2006 and 2008 while average electricity consumption by residential users increased by seven per cent and that of government establishments fell by just over one per cent.
Commercial and industrial consumers accounted for around 24 per cent of all electricity supplied in 2006, and 27.5 per cent of total supply in 2008. Over the same period domestic consumers and government offices recorded declining shares of total electricity supply.
Muscat, March 3: The much talked Cost Reflective Tariffs (CRT), proposed to be introduced later this year, will not affect domestic consumers, a senior official of the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) confirmed.
AER is also finalising proposals for a special tariff for consumers with special needs to provide electricity at cheaper rates compared to other consumers. For this, AER has sought data from the Ministry of Social Development.
Once the proposals are ready, they will be submitted to the Council of Ministers for its approval. “The Authority is developing the CRT for commercial and industrial consumers of electricity in accordance with its statutory duties and they will not have any implications for residential consumers,” AER's deputy executive director Qais Saud al Zakwani told Muscat Daily.
“The proposals are aimed at protecting the consumers' interests and not harm them.” He said that the CRT will reduce future costs and limit increases in electricity subsidies that will help safeguard the provision of electricity supply to all consumers in the sultanate in future.
According to AER's public consultation paper on CRT, the total cost of supplying power to consumers was RO243mn in 2008 which included a government subsidy of RO63mn. The subsidy figure for 2009 is estimated to be over RO110mn.
The average consumption of industrial and commercial consumers increased by 37 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively between 2006 and 2008 while average electricity consumption by residential users increased by seven per cent and that of government establishments fell by just over one per cent.
Commercial and industrial consumers accounted for around 24 per cent of all electricity supplied in 2006, and 27.5 per cent of total supply in 2008. Over the same period domestic consumers and government offices recorded declining shares of total electricity supply.
Barka-II independent power project commences operations
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Dec 21: Marking another milestone in the privatisation of the sultanate's power sector, the gas-based 678MW Barka-II Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP) was fully commissioned for commercial operations on November 15 this year.
With the commissioning of the Barka-II IWPP, the sultanate has achieved a power surplus, generating 3,725MW, while peak demand during summer was around 3,400MW. “The power plant has been generating 678MW in May this year, but the water treatment plant was delayed and the project was fully commissioned only last month,” an official at the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company Ltd told Muscat Daily.
Despite the surplus, Oman has no plans to sell the additional power, as demand for 2010 is estimated at 3,800MW. Since total generation is around 3,725 MW, there may be a minor shortfall in power, the official said.
Barka-II is the fifth independent power project in the sultanate. The other four projects are Manah, Al Kamil, Barka-I and Sohar. The Rusayl power project, which used to be owned by the government was sold to developers of the Barka-II power project more than two years ago.
Costing around US$800mn, the Barka II IWPP was developed by a consortium of private firms, including the Suez Tractebel, Mubadala, Development and National Trading Company. The Barka-II plant location is adjacent to the existing 450MW Barka I plant, which itself is located 50km away from Muscat, on the Batinah coast.
Besides generating 678MW, the plant has a Guaranteed Contracted Water Capacity (GCWC) of 120,000 cubic metres of water per day. The plant is connected to the interconnected main transmission system at 220kV, which is owned and operated by Oman Electricity Transmission Company.
The feed stock - natural gas - is supplied by the Oman Gas Company (OGC). Though the plant was to be commissioned on April 1 this year, it was delayed for various reasons.
The project comprises the development, design, financing, engineering, construction and commissioning, testing, ownership, operation, and maintenance of a greenfield combined cycle gas fired power generation and seawater desalination facility.
Muscat, Dec 21: Marking another milestone in the privatisation of the sultanate's power sector, the gas-based 678MW Barka-II Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP) was fully commissioned for commercial operations on November 15 this year.
With the commissioning of the Barka-II IWPP, the sultanate has achieved a power surplus, generating 3,725MW, while peak demand during summer was around 3,400MW. “The power plant has been generating 678MW in May this year, but the water treatment plant was delayed and the project was fully commissioned only last month,” an official at the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company Ltd told Muscat Daily.
Despite the surplus, Oman has no plans to sell the additional power, as demand for 2010 is estimated at 3,800MW. Since total generation is around 3,725 MW, there may be a minor shortfall in power, the official said.
Barka-II is the fifth independent power project in the sultanate. The other four projects are Manah, Al Kamil, Barka-I and Sohar. The Rusayl power project, which used to be owned by the government was sold to developers of the Barka-II power project more than two years ago.
Costing around US$800mn, the Barka II IWPP was developed by a consortium of private firms, including the Suez Tractebel, Mubadala, Development and National Trading Company. The Barka-II plant location is adjacent to the existing 450MW Barka I plant, which itself is located 50km away from Muscat, on the Batinah coast.
Besides generating 678MW, the plant has a Guaranteed Contracted Water Capacity (GCWC) of 120,000 cubic metres of water per day. The plant is connected to the interconnected main transmission system at 220kV, which is owned and operated by Oman Electricity Transmission Company.
The feed stock - natural gas - is supplied by the Oman Gas Company (OGC). Though the plant was to be commissioned on April 1 this year, it was delayed for various reasons.
The project comprises the development, design, financing, engineering, construction and commissioning, testing, ownership, operation, and maintenance of a greenfield combined cycle gas fired power generation and seawater desalination facility.
AER acts to meet power demand in summer
Aggreko signs pact with OPWP to supply 115MW power for three months
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 28: Securing additional power, to the extent of 120MW, installing capacitor banks and procuring additional transformers are among the slew of measures taken up by the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) to ensure uninterrupted power supply to consumers this summer.
AER has constituted an executive task team (ETT) headed by its executive director John Cunneen and comprising senior managers of power utilities including the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW). The ETT has been holding regular monthly meetings, assigning work to power utilities and monitoring their progress.
Speaking to Muscat Daily, Cunneen said that the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) was taskedwith contracting for sufficient temporary power generation and transmission. Distribution system operators were tasked with procuring additional transformers, installing capacitor banks and implementing load switching schemes to ensure systems do not get overloaded.
Accordingly, the OPWP, through the Tender Board, invited bids and has awarded a contract for around 120MW of capacity to meet demand in the northern region of the sultanate.
The Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC) has procured additional transformers and the Muscat, Majan and Mazoon distribution companies are presently deploying scores of capacitor banks across their systems and finalising load shifting schemes.
OPWP is responsible for ensuring sufficient capacity is available to meet demand. “It is disappointing that we find ourselves in this position. In fact, AER had served OPWP a notice under Article 116 in December 2009 under which OPWP will be held fully accountable for supply interruptions in 2010 resulting from a shortfall of generating capacity,” Cunneen said.
Aggreko Plc, the world leader in providing temporary power and temperature control, issued a press release saying that the company has signed a contract with OPWP for supplying temporary power. It comprises the supply of 115MW power generation across five sites for a minimum three-month period to provide additional power generation during the summer months.
Aggreko has also signed a contract with the Panamanian state power generating utility. The two contracts, together worth an estimated US$75mn, will supply 215MW of temporary power in Oman and Panama.
“Yet again, our ability to deliver very large amounts of utility- grade power within weeks to customers has proved to be a compelling proposition for utilities who need to keep providing stable power supplies to their customers,” said Rupert Soames, chief executive of Aggreko. “These two contracts also underline the global reach of Aggreko," he said.
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 28: Securing additional power, to the extent of 120MW, installing capacitor banks and procuring additional transformers are among the slew of measures taken up by the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) to ensure uninterrupted power supply to consumers this summer.
AER has constituted an executive task team (ETT) headed by its executive director John Cunneen and comprising senior managers of power utilities including the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW). The ETT has been holding regular monthly meetings, assigning work to power utilities and monitoring their progress.
Speaking to Muscat Daily, Cunneen said that the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) was taskedwith contracting for sufficient temporary power generation and transmission. Distribution system operators were tasked with procuring additional transformers, installing capacitor banks and implementing load switching schemes to ensure systems do not get overloaded.
Accordingly, the OPWP, through the Tender Board, invited bids and has awarded a contract for around 120MW of capacity to meet demand in the northern region of the sultanate.
The Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC) has procured additional transformers and the Muscat, Majan and Mazoon distribution companies are presently deploying scores of capacitor banks across their systems and finalising load shifting schemes.
OPWP is responsible for ensuring sufficient capacity is available to meet demand. “It is disappointing that we find ourselves in this position. In fact, AER had served OPWP a notice under Article 116 in December 2009 under which OPWP will be held fully accountable for supply interruptions in 2010 resulting from a shortfall of generating capacity,” Cunneen said.
Aggreko Plc, the world leader in providing temporary power and temperature control, issued a press release saying that the company has signed a contract with OPWP for supplying temporary power. It comprises the supply of 115MW power generation across five sites for a minimum three-month period to provide additional power generation during the summer months.
Aggreko has also signed a contract with the Panamanian state power generating utility. The two contracts, together worth an estimated US$75mn, will supply 215MW of temporary power in Oman and Panama.
“Yet again, our ability to deliver very large amounts of utility- grade power within weeks to customers has proved to be a compelling proposition for utilities who need to keep providing stable power supplies to their customers,” said Rupert Soames, chief executive of Aggreko. “These two contracts also underline the global reach of Aggreko," he said.
AER penalises Mazoon Electricity for violating safety measures
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 24 : Acting tough against erring power utilities for violating the prescribed health and safety audits, the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) has issued 23 fines of RO500 each on Mazoon Electricity Distribution Co two days ago.
The company has been given four weeks to pay the fines and the money will be utilised to fund a health safety awareness campaign across the sultanate.
The fines were imposed after AER issued advance notices to three distribution companies - Muscat Electricity Distribution Co, Majan Electricity Distribution Co and Mazoon - in June 2009 under Article 116 of the electricity sector law that it would conduct random inspections of substations, feeder pillars and other network assets.
“If any installations were unlocked, not properly secure or otherwise in a condition that poses a risk to the health and safety of the public, the licensees were warned they would be fined RO500 for each infraction,” said AER's executive director John Cunneen. He added that AER officials would conduct a follow-up audit within three months and if a similar infraction is found at the same installation, the licensee would be fined RO1,000 and served with a breach of licence notice.
Cunneen said that they have also audited the installations of Muscat Electricity Distribution Co in February, whose results were under process. “We will also do an audit of assets owned by Majan Electricity Co next month and will decide if any action is required,” he told Muscat Daily.
The AER will conduct similar audits on a monthly basis throughout 2010, he added.
Muscat, Feb 24 : Acting tough against erring power utilities for violating the prescribed health and safety audits, the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) has issued 23 fines of RO500 each on Mazoon Electricity Distribution Co two days ago.
The company has been given four weeks to pay the fines and the money will be utilised to fund a health safety awareness campaign across the sultanate.
The fines were imposed after AER issued advance notices to three distribution companies - Muscat Electricity Distribution Co, Majan Electricity Distribution Co and Mazoon - in June 2009 under Article 116 of the electricity sector law that it would conduct random inspections of substations, feeder pillars and other network assets.
“If any installations were unlocked, not properly secure or otherwise in a condition that poses a risk to the health and safety of the public, the licensees were warned they would be fined RO500 for each infraction,” said AER's executive director John Cunneen. He added that AER officials would conduct a follow-up audit within three months and if a similar infraction is found at the same installation, the licensee would be fined RO1,000 and served with a breach of licence notice.
Cunneen said that they have also audited the installations of Muscat Electricity Distribution Co in February, whose results were under process. “We will also do an audit of assets owned by Majan Electricity Co next month and will decide if any action is required,” he told Muscat Daily.
The AER will conduct similar audits on a monthly basis throughout 2010, he added.
Ghubra IWPP well received
As many as 60 companies have submitted LoIs for developing the 2nd phase of the Ghubra project
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 21: In a vindication of the sultanate’s policy reforms in the power sector, as many as 60 companies have evinced interest to develop the second phase of the Ghubra Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP).
Besides generating 500MW of power, the gas-based project, which is coming up in Muscat, will also produce 30mn Imperial Gallons per Day (MIGD) of desalinated water to meet the growing drinking water demand in the region.
The deadline for return of letters of interest (LoI) for the project was February 10 and the Oman Power and Water Procurement (OPWP) Company limited, which is overseeing the development of the project, has been ‘flooded’ with proposals from interested parties around the world.
In comparison to the Barka 2 Sohar 3 IWPP, the Ghubra IWPP has evoked tremendous response from potential developers, sources told Muscat Daily.
In view of this, OPWP officials have decided to extend the deadline for the second and crucial phase of the project - the issue of request for proposals (RFPs), which was to be issued by the Tender Board, from middle of this month to a later date to enable the officials study all the proposals.
According to sources, the OPWP will not issue a separate request for pre qualification on the project. Instead, it will include the qualification criteria in the request for proposals.
The preferred bidder to develop the project will be selected in July and the contract is expected to be awarded in October this year. The plant will begin producing power on April 1, 2012 and will being operating commercially a year later, sources said.
With stiff competition from so many parties, sources said that the government will have a better option to bargain for reducing the cost of the project which is being worked out, sources said.
Commenting on the good response to the Ghubra project, a market analyst said, “The improvement in the credit rating of Oman by Moody’s has, in turn, helped improve the rating of OPWP from the long term unsecured debt rating of A2 to A1 recently. This means the company has become more attractive and less risky for the global investors.”
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 21: In a vindication of the sultanate’s policy reforms in the power sector, as many as 60 companies have evinced interest to develop the second phase of the Ghubra Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP).
Besides generating 500MW of power, the gas-based project, which is coming up in Muscat, will also produce 30mn Imperial Gallons per Day (MIGD) of desalinated water to meet the growing drinking water demand in the region.
The deadline for return of letters of interest (LoI) for the project was February 10 and the Oman Power and Water Procurement (OPWP) Company limited, which is overseeing the development of the project, has been ‘flooded’ with proposals from interested parties around the world.
In comparison to the Barka 2 Sohar 3 IWPP, the Ghubra IWPP has evoked tremendous response from potential developers, sources told Muscat Daily.
In view of this, OPWP officials have decided to extend the deadline for the second and crucial phase of the project - the issue of request for proposals (RFPs), which was to be issued by the Tender Board, from middle of this month to a later date to enable the officials study all the proposals.
According to sources, the OPWP will not issue a separate request for pre qualification on the project. Instead, it will include the qualification criteria in the request for proposals.
The preferred bidder to develop the project will be selected in July and the contract is expected to be awarded in October this year. The plant will begin producing power on April 1, 2012 and will being operating commercially a year later, sources said.
With stiff competition from so many parties, sources said that the government will have a better option to bargain for reducing the cost of the project which is being worked out, sources said.
Commenting on the good response to the Ghubra project, a market analyst said, “The improvement in the credit rating of Oman by Moody’s has, in turn, helped improve the rating of OPWP from the long term unsecured debt rating of A2 to A1 recently. This means the company has become more attractive and less risky for the global investors.”
Oman to enforce electricity safety regulations by end 2010
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 3: Sharing public concern over the possible health risks due to radiations emanating from electrical assets, the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) has decided to enforce the Extremely Low Frequency Electric and Magnetic Field (ELF-EMF) regulations across the sultanate by the end of this year.
By doing so, Oman will become the first country in the GCC region to have such regulations in place. Only 30 countries worldwide, including 21 in Europe, have been enforcing them.
Announcing the decision at a seminar on ELF-EMF Regulations held under the auspices of PAEW chairman H E Mohammed Abdullah al Mahrouqi in Muscat on Tuesday, AER executive director and member John Cunneen said that the AER would gather feedback from various sections in the first quarter of this year, follow it up by holding discussions with PAEW and other stakeholders and put the regulations in place by December. “This will be applicable only to all new lines and electrical equipment which will be installed in public places once the regulations come into force,” he said.
Following complaints from general public, Diwan of Royal Court Affairs and media reports suggesting that long-term exposure to the radiation from overhead and underground power lines was resulting in leukemia, especially among children, the AER has retained the services of KEMA, an independent company specialised in technical energy consultancy, to study the issue and submit a report.
While KEMA representatives conducted the study at 20 places including the Royal Camps across the sultanate during winter, the AER has requested Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) officials to study the problem at the same places during summer.
The findings submitted by KEMA and SQU officials indicated that the exposure limits were much lower than those recommended by the International Commission on Non Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
However, the AER will enforce the regulations as per the recommendations of the KEMA to allay such apprehensions among people, Cunneen said. KEMA has urged the AER to implement supplementary precautionary measures like enforcement of minimum clearance zones around newly constructed overhead power lines.
Muscat, Feb 3: Sharing public concern over the possible health risks due to radiations emanating from electrical assets, the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) has decided to enforce the Extremely Low Frequency Electric and Magnetic Field (ELF-EMF) regulations across the sultanate by the end of this year.
By doing so, Oman will become the first country in the GCC region to have such regulations in place. Only 30 countries worldwide, including 21 in Europe, have been enforcing them.
Announcing the decision at a seminar on ELF-EMF Regulations held under the auspices of PAEW chairman H E Mohammed Abdullah al Mahrouqi in Muscat on Tuesday, AER executive director and member John Cunneen said that the AER would gather feedback from various sections in the first quarter of this year, follow it up by holding discussions with PAEW and other stakeholders and put the regulations in place by December. “This will be applicable only to all new lines and electrical equipment which will be installed in public places once the regulations come into force,” he said.
Following complaints from general public, Diwan of Royal Court Affairs and media reports suggesting that long-term exposure to the radiation from overhead and underground power lines was resulting in leukemia, especially among children, the AER has retained the services of KEMA, an independent company specialised in technical energy consultancy, to study the issue and submit a report.
While KEMA representatives conducted the study at 20 places including the Royal Camps across the sultanate during winter, the AER has requested Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) officials to study the problem at the same places during summer.
The findings submitted by KEMA and SQU officials indicated that the exposure limits were much lower than those recommended by the International Commission on Non Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
However, the AER will enforce the regulations as per the recommendations of the KEMA to allay such apprehensions among people, Cunneen said. KEMA has urged the AER to implement supplementary precautionary measures like enforcement of minimum clearance zones around newly constructed overhead power lines.
Sembcorp upbeat after bagging Salalah IWPP
After UAE and Oman, Singapore-based Sembcorp hopes to replicate their success elsewhere in the Middle East
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 13: Backed by strong market demand in the Middle East, Singapore based Sembcorp Industries is now exploring further expansion of its power and water capacity,besides other sectors, in the region.
The company is setting up the 445MW Salalah Independent Water & Power Project (IWPP) in the wilayat of Mirbat, in Dhofar region, the ground breaking ceremony for which was held on February 10.
The project is expected to begin commercial operation in April 2012. Besides power generation, the company will also produce 15 million gallons per day (MIGD) of water to meet the requirements of potable water.
Speaking to Muscat Daily, Sembcorp group president and chief executive officer Tang Kin Fei said that the company has identified the Middle East as a key growth area for its power and water business and has pursued a strategy to position itself as a reliable, long-term partner to help meet the region’s growing demand
for power and water.
“After the UAE and Oman, Sembcorp hopes to replicate this successful model and establish new profit centres elsewhere in the Middle East. Given the growing power and water demand in the area, we aim to strengthen our presence and track record in this key market to build a solid platform of long-term growth for our company,” Tang Kin Fei said. The company established its first beachhead in the UAE with the Fujairah IWPP in 2006.
The Salalah project marks Sembcorp’s second major investment in the Middle East and is the company's first in the growing Oman market.
Addressing a gathering at the ceremony, Singapore's Minister for Environment and Water Resources Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said that the Salalah IWPP was one of the largest utility projects that a Singapore company has clinched in the global market.
Singapore firms have secured over US$130mn worth contracts in Oman and the Salalah IWPP represents the single largest stake by a Singapore company in Oman and increases its investments in Oman seven-fold.
Meanwhile, a company spokesperson said that 75 per cent of the US$1bn project cost
would be met with a 17-year nonrecourse project finance loan and the remaining 25 per cent from shareholders' contribution.
The non-recourse finance will be provided by Standard Chartered Bank (also the financial adviser), Bank of China, China Development Bank, BankMuscat, KfW-IPEX Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation as Mandated Lead Arrangers, and National Bank of Oman and Bank Sohar as arrangers, the spokesperson added.
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 13: Backed by strong market demand in the Middle East, Singapore based Sembcorp Industries is now exploring further expansion of its power and water capacity,besides other sectors, in the region.
The company is setting up the 445MW Salalah Independent Water & Power Project (IWPP) in the wilayat of Mirbat, in Dhofar region, the ground breaking ceremony for which was held on February 10.
The project is expected to begin commercial operation in April 2012. Besides power generation, the company will also produce 15 million gallons per day (MIGD) of water to meet the requirements of potable water.
Speaking to Muscat Daily, Sembcorp group president and chief executive officer Tang Kin Fei said that the company has identified the Middle East as a key growth area for its power and water business and has pursued a strategy to position itself as a reliable, long-term partner to help meet the region’s growing demand
for power and water.
“After the UAE and Oman, Sembcorp hopes to replicate this successful model and establish new profit centres elsewhere in the Middle East. Given the growing power and water demand in the area, we aim to strengthen our presence and track record in this key market to build a solid platform of long-term growth for our company,” Tang Kin Fei said. The company established its first beachhead in the UAE with the Fujairah IWPP in 2006.
The Salalah project marks Sembcorp’s second major investment in the Middle East and is the company's first in the growing Oman market.
Addressing a gathering at the ceremony, Singapore's Minister for Environment and Water Resources Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said that the Salalah IWPP was one of the largest utility projects that a Singapore company has clinched in the global market.
Singapore firms have secured over US$130mn worth contracts in Oman and the Salalah IWPP represents the single largest stake by a Singapore company in Oman and increases its investments in Oman seven-fold.
Meanwhile, a company spokesperson said that 75 per cent of the US$1bn project cost
would be met with a 17-year nonrecourse project finance loan and the remaining 25 per cent from shareholders' contribution.
The non-recourse finance will be provided by Standard Chartered Bank (also the financial adviser), Bank of China, China Development Bank, BankMuscat, KfW-IPEX Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation as Mandated Lead Arrangers, and National Bank of Oman and Bank Sohar as arrangers, the spokesperson added.
EU looking at coal as main source of power
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 30 : Coal will play a significant role in the future energy scenario of the European Union (EU) and remains its stable source of energy as a complement to oil and gas as well as renewables, said a senior official in the directorate general for energy and transport at the European Commission.
However, the biggest challenge facing the EU is coal’s relatively higher carbon dioxide emissions compared to other fossil fuels, said Eero Ailio, deputy head of coal and oil policy in the directorate.
By the next two decades, EU will have to import 95 per cent of oil, 84 per cent of gas and 63 per cent of coal for generating power to meet its demand. Coal's share of energy consumption is 18 per cent and proportionally least exposed to import dependency. The EU's coal production was 146mn tonnes of hard coal, of which 43 per cent is consumed for energy.
He said that with dwindling domestic resources, the EU will have to look at coal as it is not only a cheap alternative but also contributes one-third of the power generation in EU, which is also its third largest importer.
“In this context, discussions are under way in the EU among the stakeholders on how best to use the indigenous hard coal and lignite resources with due respect to the imperatives of environmental and economic sustainability,” Ailio told Muscat Daily on the sidelines of a two day seminar on 'Using Coal for Power Generation in the Sultanate of Oman.'
Some of the key issues identified during the deliberations are transparency in coal inventory, public awareness and acceptance of coal production and its use in power generation.
The two strategic energy reviews undertaken by the EU during the last three years have initiated a new concept of an integrated climate change policy through which all member countries are expected to reduce greenhouse gases by 20 per cent, scale up renewable energies by 20 per cent and also improve energy efficiency by 20 per cent by 2020, he said.
Muscat, Jan 30 : Coal will play a significant role in the future energy scenario of the European Union (EU) and remains its stable source of energy as a complement to oil and gas as well as renewables, said a senior official in the directorate general for energy and transport at the European Commission.
However, the biggest challenge facing the EU is coal’s relatively higher carbon dioxide emissions compared to other fossil fuels, said Eero Ailio, deputy head of coal and oil policy in the directorate.
By the next two decades, EU will have to import 95 per cent of oil, 84 per cent of gas and 63 per cent of coal for generating power to meet its demand. Coal's share of energy consumption is 18 per cent and proportionally least exposed to import dependency. The EU's coal production was 146mn tonnes of hard coal, of which 43 per cent is consumed for energy.
He said that with dwindling domestic resources, the EU will have to look at coal as it is not only a cheap alternative but also contributes one-third of the power generation in EU, which is also its third largest importer.
“In this context, discussions are under way in the EU among the stakeholders on how best to use the indigenous hard coal and lignite resources with due respect to the imperatives of environmental and economic sustainability,” Ailio told Muscat Daily on the sidelines of a two day seminar on 'Using Coal for Power Generation in the Sultanate of Oman.'
Some of the key issues identified during the deliberations are transparency in coal inventory, public awareness and acceptance of coal production and its use in power generation.
The two strategic energy reviews undertaken by the EU during the last three years have initiated a new concept of an integrated climate change policy through which all member countries are expected to reduce greenhouse gases by 20 per cent, scale up renewable energies by 20 per cent and also improve energy efficiency by 20 per cent by 2020, he said.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Salalah IWPP works to begin this week
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 7: The construction of the 445MW Sembcorp Salalah independent water and power production (IWPP) plant coming up at Taqah in the Dhofar Governorate, will begin on Wednesday.
Minister of State and Dhofar Governor H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Marhoon al Mama'ri will be the chief guest and officials from various departments will attend the programme, which is scheduled to begin at 10.30am.
The billion-dollar project has been awarded to a consortium of companies including Oman Investment Corporation and the Singapore-based Sembcorp Utilities. The consortium will develop the project on build, own and operate(BOO) basis for 15 years.
Besides generating power, it will produce 15 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) desalinated water from sea using reverse osmosis technology.
The gas-based project will be supplied with gas by an existing gas pipeline that serves consumers in Salalah with gas from Saih Rawl in central Oman. The project is to begin commercial operations in two phases and expected to be completed by 2012.
The IWPP will meet the electricity demand of the Salalah region, which is expected to more than double to 552MW by 2016 from the existing 260MW, growing 11 per cent per year due to growing industrial and tourism projects.
At present, the Dhofar Power Company is supplying power to 50,000 customers in and around Salalah. The new project will increase the power capacity in the region from 321 MW to 766 MW, where demand is expected to double over the next six years.
Drinking water demand in the Salalah region is expected to grow at an average annual rate of five per cent from 23.4 million cu m in 2009 to 30.8 million cu m by 2015. While Sembcorp owns 60 per cent, the remaining 40 per cent is owned by Oman Investment Corporation.
Muscat, Feb 7: The construction of the 445MW Sembcorp Salalah independent water and power production (IWPP) plant coming up at Taqah in the Dhofar Governorate, will begin on Wednesday.
Minister of State and Dhofar Governor H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Marhoon al Mama'ri will be the chief guest and officials from various departments will attend the programme, which is scheduled to begin at 10.30am.
The billion-dollar project has been awarded to a consortium of companies including Oman Investment Corporation and the Singapore-based Sembcorp Utilities. The consortium will develop the project on build, own and operate(BOO) basis for 15 years.
Besides generating power, it will produce 15 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) desalinated water from sea using reverse osmosis technology.
The gas-based project will be supplied with gas by an existing gas pipeline that serves consumers in Salalah with gas from Saih Rawl in central Oman. The project is to begin commercial operations in two phases and expected to be completed by 2012.
The IWPP will meet the electricity demand of the Salalah region, which is expected to more than double to 552MW by 2016 from the existing 260MW, growing 11 per cent per year due to growing industrial and tourism projects.
At present, the Dhofar Power Company is supplying power to 50,000 customers in and around Salalah. The new project will increase the power capacity in the region from 321 MW to 766 MW, where demand is expected to double over the next six years.
Drinking water demand in the Salalah region is expected to grow at an average annual rate of five per cent from 23.4 million cu m in 2009 to 30.8 million cu m by 2015. While Sembcorp owns 60 per cent, the remaining 40 per cent is owned by Oman Investment Corporation.
Oman Botanic Gardens to set up solar panels
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 7: As part of its commitment to sustainable development, the Oman Botanic Garden (OBG) will set up a solar plant to generate its own electricity and meet some of the energy demands of the garden’s core buildings.
The OBG is a project taken up by the Office for Conservation of the Environment (part of the Diwan of Royal Court) and is being built on an area of 420 hectares on the outskirts of Muscat to conserve and protect the plants and plant heritage of Oman.
The proposed 'solar field' will cover a 5,000 sq m area and will be constructed during the third phase of the project.
The project developers decided to have solar power to help reduce the garden’s reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels, its carbon footprint and provide a positive example for using the technology in Oman.
The developers are also planning the planting of the first of its naturalistic habitats with 10,000 plants and trees grown in the nursery over the last few years. The horticultural team has already propagated over 370 species (out of the 1,200 plant species native to Oman) with over 75,000 individual plants – the garden holds the largest documented collection of Arabian plants in the world.
Energy generation is just part of OBG's plans to become a model for sustainability in Oman, "Solar power forms part of our integrated sustainability plan which covers design, construction and operation of the garden,” OBG’s media officer Faiza al Lawati told Muscat Daily.
As part of the plans, the core buildings currently under construction, the Orientation Centre, Field Studies Centre and Research Centre, will undergo the rigorous US Green Building Council LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification process. “Once it is completed, the OBG will become the first LEED accredited project in the sultanate,” Faiza said.
“This certification will demonstrate to visitors that OBG is able to recycle and use water efficiently, source recycled, locally produced and safe materials for construction building fit-out, minimise our energy use and invest in renewable energy sources. It is estimated that a ‘green’ building costs about 7-12 per cent more to construct than a regular one, but with savings of 30 per cent on water use and 40 per cent on energy use, they will be economical to run,” she added.
According to Craig Tucker, the health, safety and environment manager for Bovis Lend Lease, the project managers for OBG, buildings are responsible for 40 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, use 12 per cent of the world's freshwater and 40 per cent of waste in landfill is from construction and deconstruction activities.
“The LEED certification provides a structure and framework for the design, construction and operation of our buildings, with very strict guidelines and technical requirements relating to a wide range of green building concepts
and also to the health and comfort of building occupants,” Tucker said.
The garden will include a range of outside habitats, with large, climate-controlled conservatories to display the diverse flora of the northern and southern mountains.
It is hoped the garden will become an important conservation and research project, and a significant tourist attraction for Omani and international visitors.
Muscat, Feb 7: As part of its commitment to sustainable development, the Oman Botanic Garden (OBG) will set up a solar plant to generate its own electricity and meet some of the energy demands of the garden’s core buildings.
The OBG is a project taken up by the Office for Conservation of the Environment (part of the Diwan of Royal Court) and is being built on an area of 420 hectares on the outskirts of Muscat to conserve and protect the plants and plant heritage of Oman.
The proposed 'solar field' will cover a 5,000 sq m area and will be constructed during the third phase of the project.
The project developers decided to have solar power to help reduce the garden’s reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels, its carbon footprint and provide a positive example for using the technology in Oman.
The developers are also planning the planting of the first of its naturalistic habitats with 10,000 plants and trees grown in the nursery over the last few years. The horticultural team has already propagated over 370 species (out of the 1,200 plant species native to Oman) with over 75,000 individual plants – the garden holds the largest documented collection of Arabian plants in the world.
Energy generation is just part of OBG's plans to become a model for sustainability in Oman, "Solar power forms part of our integrated sustainability plan which covers design, construction and operation of the garden,” OBG’s media officer Faiza al Lawati told Muscat Daily.
As part of the plans, the core buildings currently under construction, the Orientation Centre, Field Studies Centre and Research Centre, will undergo the rigorous US Green Building Council LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification process. “Once it is completed, the OBG will become the first LEED accredited project in the sultanate,” Faiza said.
“This certification will demonstrate to visitors that OBG is able to recycle and use water efficiently, source recycled, locally produced and safe materials for construction building fit-out, minimise our energy use and invest in renewable energy sources. It is estimated that a ‘green’ building costs about 7-12 per cent more to construct than a regular one, but with savings of 30 per cent on water use and 40 per cent on energy use, they will be economical to run,” she added.
According to Craig Tucker, the health, safety and environment manager for Bovis Lend Lease, the project managers for OBG, buildings are responsible for 40 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, use 12 per cent of the world's freshwater and 40 per cent of waste in landfill is from construction and deconstruction activities.
“The LEED certification provides a structure and framework for the design, construction and operation of our buildings, with very strict guidelines and technical requirements relating to a wide range of green building concepts
and also to the health and comfort of building occupants,” Tucker said.
The garden will include a range of outside habitats, with large, climate-controlled conservatories to display the diverse flora of the northern and southern mountains.
It is hoped the garden will become an important conservation and research project, and a significant tourist attraction for Omani and international visitors.
Gas to fire Duqm power plant
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Feb 7: Apparently bowing to pressure from various sections, plans to run the 1,000MW independent power plant at Duqm in the Al Wusta region on coal have been shelved.
Instead, developers of the project will be supplied with natural gas that runs the 12existing and upcoming power plants in the country. The Ministry of Oil and Natural Gas has expressed its readiness to supply natural gas for the Duqm project and negotiations in this regard will take place at a later stage.
“We have decided to opt for natural gas, instead of coal, for the project. While the project cost is yet to be finalised, it can be more than RO1.5bn,” sources told Muscat Daily.
Sources also said that Duqm will be a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant, as it would be more efficient and generate additional power, compared to an open cycle gas turbine (OCGT) plant. A CCGT plant has an average thermal efficiency of 49 per cent while it is only 30 per cent for OCGT plants, said an official.
The Duqm project is expected to meet the requirements of the scores of industries coming up along with a new port in the Al Wusta region. “Use of coal as raw material for the Duqm project would have helped reduce costs by six times. Besides, it was also one of the pilot projects to achieve a measure of fuel diversification,” sources said.
The decision against coal was taken reportedly under intense pressure from the public, including elected representatives, who expressed reservations about the project at the seminar ‘Using coal for power generation in Oman’ last fortnight.
They contended that a coalfired project would not only emit toxic gases into the atmosphere but also produce tonnes of residual ash.
Muscat, Feb 7: Apparently bowing to pressure from various sections, plans to run the 1,000MW independent power plant at Duqm in the Al Wusta region on coal have been shelved.
Instead, developers of the project will be supplied with natural gas that runs the 12existing and upcoming power plants in the country. The Ministry of Oil and Natural Gas has expressed its readiness to supply natural gas for the Duqm project and negotiations in this regard will take place at a later stage.
“We have decided to opt for natural gas, instead of coal, for the project. While the project cost is yet to be finalised, it can be more than RO1.5bn,” sources told Muscat Daily.
Sources also said that Duqm will be a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant, as it would be more efficient and generate additional power, compared to an open cycle gas turbine (OCGT) plant. A CCGT plant has an average thermal efficiency of 49 per cent while it is only 30 per cent for OCGT plants, said an official.
The Duqm project is expected to meet the requirements of the scores of industries coming up along with a new port in the Al Wusta region. “Use of coal as raw material for the Duqm project would have helped reduce costs by six times. Besides, it was also one of the pilot projects to achieve a measure of fuel diversification,” sources said.
The decision against coal was taken reportedly under intense pressure from the public, including elected representatives, who expressed reservations about the project at the seminar ‘Using coal for power generation in Oman’ last fortnight.
They contended that a coalfired project would not only emit toxic gases into the atmosphere but also produce tonnes of residual ash.
Law makers suggest construction of 'green buildings' to save energy
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 27: With the demand for electricity rising at a faster rate, the concept of eco-friendly ‘green buildings’ is catching up at an equal pace in the sultanate with the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) planning to encourage them in a big way.
Raising the issue at a seminar on ‘Using Coal in Power Generation in the Sultanate of Oman’, the members of the Shura Council and State Council suggested that such structures would help in saving a good amount of electricity. “The government is already constructing houses for the poor and this technology can be used in them,” they said.
The members also took objection to the absence of the representatives from the Ministry of Health and from the Ministry of Climate and Environmental Affairs at the two day seminar, which was organised by the Ministry of National Economy.
“The officials from these two Ministries should have been involved right from the beginning of the proposal to set up the coal based power project at Duqm, as they would have given their valuable suggestions,” they said.
Sharing their views on promoting the concept of ‘green buildings,’ PAEW chairman H E Mohammed Abdullah al Mahrouqi said that there was every need for such houses and various factors including the standards of these buildings, their efficiency in reducing power consumption, especially during summer, will be considered.
Even large and government buildings should be designed in such a manner to save energy. “The preliminary investment will be high, but it will be beneficial in the long run,” he said.
On the absence of the officials from the other two Ministries at the seminar, the PAEW chairman said that the programme was organised in consultation with all departments. However, they will not be able to provide their viewpoints unless and until the PAEW conducted a detailed study about the project. “Ultimately, these two departments have to issue licences after the promoter of the project comply with all conditions to preserve the environment and thereby ensure public safety,” H E Mahrouqi said.
Muscat, Jan 27: With the demand for electricity rising at a faster rate, the concept of eco-friendly ‘green buildings’ is catching up at an equal pace in the sultanate with the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) planning to encourage them in a big way.
Raising the issue at a seminar on ‘Using Coal in Power Generation in the Sultanate of Oman’, the members of the Shura Council and State Council suggested that such structures would help in saving a good amount of electricity. “The government is already constructing houses for the poor and this technology can be used in them,” they said.
The members also took objection to the absence of the representatives from the Ministry of Health and from the Ministry of Climate and Environmental Affairs at the two day seminar, which was organised by the Ministry of National Economy.
“The officials from these two Ministries should have been involved right from the beginning of the proposal to set up the coal based power project at Duqm, as they would have given their valuable suggestions,” they said.
Sharing their views on promoting the concept of ‘green buildings,’ PAEW chairman H E Mohammed Abdullah al Mahrouqi said that there was every need for such houses and various factors including the standards of these buildings, their efficiency in reducing power consumption, especially during summer, will be considered.
Even large and government buildings should be designed in such a manner to save energy. “The preliminary investment will be high, but it will be beneficial in the long run,” he said.
On the absence of the officials from the other two Ministries at the seminar, the PAEW chairman said that the programme was organised in consultation with all departments. However, they will not be able to provide their viewpoints unless and until the PAEW conducted a detailed study about the project. “Ultimately, these two departments have to issue licences after the promoter of the project comply with all conditions to preserve the environment and thereby ensure public safety,” H E Mahrouqi said.
RAECO to set up gas-based power project at Musandam
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 9: The state-owned Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAECO) has decided to set up its first gasfired power plant in Musandam region. The installed capacity of the project is 120MW but there is provision to expand it to 160MW.
The project would also have a desalination plant to produce 6,000 cubic metres of drinking water every day. The officials have already conducted a feasibility study and the plant will be fully commissioned in the next three to five years.
At present, RAECO is serving around 20,000 customers in the rural and remote areas in Dhahirah, Sharqiah, Dakhliyah, Al Wusta and Dhofar regions in the sultanate. “The decision to change the fuel from diesel to gas was taken as the cost of generating electricity by diesel is six times higher than gas,” RAECO general manager Eng Hamed Salim al Magdheri told Muscat Daily.
The project cost is being worked out and it is expected to cater to the needs of around 10,000 customers in Musandam. In fact, RAECO officials are also planning to set up a central power distribution sub-station at Musandam, which has more than 50 per cent of its consumers.
The company is also setting up the 70MW Duqm electrification diesel power plant along with a distribution network to cover8,000 consumers at a cost of RO49mn.
The Duqm project, which mostly meets the demand of the industrial and tourism projects in Al Wusta region, will also have a desalination plant being set up at a cost of RO8mn. The first phase is expected to be completed by first quarter of 2010 and the second phase a year later. “By completing these two projects, the installed
capacity of RAECO will be nearly doubled - from 223MW till December 2008 to 413-450MW,” he said.
Besides, RAECO has received four proposals from private investors for setting up renewable energy projects, which are based on solar photo voltaic technology. The proposals have been submitted with the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) for evaluation.
The company has taken up as many as three dozen projects, which include electrification of houses in Al Dahar in Duqm, Wadi Bana in Musandam, Jou A Salam in Dhofar Governorate, Sahsaha-Khasab and Rasaiah in Masirat wilayat.
Muscat, Jan 9: The state-owned Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAECO) has decided to set up its first gasfired power plant in Musandam region. The installed capacity of the project is 120MW but there is provision to expand it to 160MW.
The project would also have a desalination plant to produce 6,000 cubic metres of drinking water every day. The officials have already conducted a feasibility study and the plant will be fully commissioned in the next three to five years.
At present, RAECO is serving around 20,000 customers in the rural and remote areas in Dhahirah, Sharqiah, Dakhliyah, Al Wusta and Dhofar regions in the sultanate. “The decision to change the fuel from diesel to gas was taken as the cost of generating electricity by diesel is six times higher than gas,” RAECO general manager Eng Hamed Salim al Magdheri told Muscat Daily.
The project cost is being worked out and it is expected to cater to the needs of around 10,000 customers in Musandam. In fact, RAECO officials are also planning to set up a central power distribution sub-station at Musandam, which has more than 50 per cent of its consumers.
The company is also setting up the 70MW Duqm electrification diesel power plant along with a distribution network to cover8,000 consumers at a cost of RO49mn.
The Duqm project, which mostly meets the demand of the industrial and tourism projects in Al Wusta region, will also have a desalination plant being set up at a cost of RO8mn. The first phase is expected to be completed by first quarter of 2010 and the second phase a year later. “By completing these two projects, the installed
capacity of RAECO will be nearly doubled - from 223MW till December 2008 to 413-450MW,” he said.
Besides, RAECO has received four proposals from private investors for setting up renewable energy projects, which are based on solar photo voltaic technology. The proposals have been submitted with the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) for evaluation.
The company has taken up as many as three dozen projects, which include electrification of houses in Al Dahar in Duqm, Wadi Bana in Musandam, Jou A Salam in Dhofar Governorate, Sahsaha-Khasab and Rasaiah in Masirat wilayat.
Ministry to invest in air pollution monitoring
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 17: In order to check the fallout of rapid urbanisation and growing industrialisation, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs has decided to procure half a dozen mobile air pollution monitoring units and place them across the country.
The first such mobile station is expected in Salalah next month. The remaining units, for which the process of tendering will begin soon, will be stationed in Sohar, which is considered one of the fastest growing industrial areas in the region.
They will be commissioned nine months from the date of entering into agreements with the companies supplying them.
At present, there are three mobile stations and one fixed unit which have been installed by the ministry in Sohar and Muscat. However, about a dozen other units have been put up by the private sector at Sohar, Sur, Barka, Manah and other sites.
The companies which have installed them are in the power, oil and gas, fertiliser and aluminium manufacturing sectors. “The new mobile units are being planned to ensure that the air and noise quality in places like Salalah and Sohar, where a large number of industries will be coming up in the next five years, are as per the prescribed standards,” a source at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs told Muscat Daily.
Each unit will cost between RO100,00-150,000. The unit will analyse the presence of sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrogen sulphide and hydrocarbons.
With the concepts of resource conservation, cleaner production and sustainable development gaining momentum and expected to have a positive impact on environmental quality in the future, the need for such equipment has become a necessity. “Pollutants like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone result in decreased crop yields and have a negative impact on health,” the ministry source added.
Muscat, Jan 17: In order to check the fallout of rapid urbanisation and growing industrialisation, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs has decided to procure half a dozen mobile air pollution monitoring units and place them across the country.
The first such mobile station is expected in Salalah next month. The remaining units, for which the process of tendering will begin soon, will be stationed in Sohar, which is considered one of the fastest growing industrial areas in the region.
They will be commissioned nine months from the date of entering into agreements with the companies supplying them.
At present, there are three mobile stations and one fixed unit which have been installed by the ministry in Sohar and Muscat. However, about a dozen other units have been put up by the private sector at Sohar, Sur, Barka, Manah and other sites.
The companies which have installed them are in the power, oil and gas, fertiliser and aluminium manufacturing sectors. “The new mobile units are being planned to ensure that the air and noise quality in places like Salalah and Sohar, where a large number of industries will be coming up in the next five years, are as per the prescribed standards,” a source at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs told Muscat Daily.
Each unit will cost between RO100,00-150,000. The unit will analyse the presence of sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrogen sulphide and hydrocarbons.
With the concepts of resource conservation, cleaner production and sustainable development gaining momentum and expected to have a positive impact on environmental quality in the future, the need for such equipment has become a necessity. “Pollutants like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone result in decreased crop yields and have a negative impact on health,” the ministry source added.
PAEW to invest RO700mn on various water projects
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 19: Anticipating a steep increase in the demand for water, the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) has drawn up plans to execute new projects and expand some of the existing ones at a cost of RO700mn during the Eighth Five Year Plan, from 2011-16.
Projects will include construction of reservoirs besides laying and strengthening the existing distribution network, pumping stations, water supply systems to upcoming new airports across the country. They will be funded entirely by the government and are scheduled for completion by 2016.
“Among them is a project for the construction of over ten emergency reservoirs in and around Muscat city for storage of water at a cost of about RO100mn,” PAEW director general (projects) Zahir Khalid Suleiman al Suleimani told Muscat Daily.
Extension of water supply networks and construction of elevated tanks would be taken up in four of the eight wilayats of Muscat - Seeb, Bausher, Muscat and al Amerat - as a number of newly developed layouts have come up in these places for which water supply networks are to be extended from the adjoining areas.
Paper work on the construction of emergency reservoirs is progressing briskly with officials preparing detailed designs while the process of tendering would begin soon, he said.
According to the 2003 census, the population of Muscat city is 631,000 and it is expected to cross 1mn by 2025. At present, the city is being supplied water through its three desalination plants - one at Al Ghubra and the other two at Barka.
While the desalination plant at Ghubra is producing 182,000 cu m (40 million imperial gallons per day) water every day,the combined capacity of the two desalination water plants at Barka is 211,000 cu m (66.4 MIGD).
Besides these projects in the Muscat governorate, the PAEW is also constructing a desalination plant at Salalah for which the department is in the process of awarding the contract.
This will be the first such project coming up in Salalah region and the present demand of 70,000 cu m per day is met by tapping the ground water resources. However, the demand is likely to shoot up to 93,000 cu m per day by 2015.
Muscat, Jan 19: Anticipating a steep increase in the demand for water, the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) has drawn up plans to execute new projects and expand some of the existing ones at a cost of RO700mn during the Eighth Five Year Plan, from 2011-16.
Projects will include construction of reservoirs besides laying and strengthening the existing distribution network, pumping stations, water supply systems to upcoming new airports across the country. They will be funded entirely by the government and are scheduled for completion by 2016.
“Among them is a project for the construction of over ten emergency reservoirs in and around Muscat city for storage of water at a cost of about RO100mn,” PAEW director general (projects) Zahir Khalid Suleiman al Suleimani told Muscat Daily.
Extension of water supply networks and construction of elevated tanks would be taken up in four of the eight wilayats of Muscat - Seeb, Bausher, Muscat and al Amerat - as a number of newly developed layouts have come up in these places for which water supply networks are to be extended from the adjoining areas.
Paper work on the construction of emergency reservoirs is progressing briskly with officials preparing detailed designs while the process of tendering would begin soon, he said.
According to the 2003 census, the population of Muscat city is 631,000 and it is expected to cross 1mn by 2025. At present, the city is being supplied water through its three desalination plants - one at Al Ghubra and the other two at Barka.
While the desalination plant at Ghubra is producing 182,000 cu m (40 million imperial gallons per day) water every day,the combined capacity of the two desalination water plants at Barka is 211,000 cu m (66.4 MIGD).
Besides these projects in the Muscat governorate, the PAEW is also constructing a desalination plant at Salalah for which the department is in the process of awarding the contract.
This will be the first such project coming up in Salalah region and the present demand of 70,000 cu m per day is met by tapping the ground water resources. However, the demand is likely to shoot up to 93,000 cu m per day by 2015.
Sultanate's first solar power project gains momentum
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 23: The tendering process for the first ever solar power project in the sultanate is likely to begin in July this year and expected to be completed within twelve months from that date.
At present, the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) is conducting a detailed feasibility study for setting up the power plant with a capacity between 100-200MW through private sector participation on a Build Own & Operate (BOO) basis.
The study will consider all aspects including identifying the best location and a thorough review of existing technologies and support mechanisms utilised internationally. The second phase, the competition process, will begin later this year.
PAEW, together with other competent authorities, will be studying the potential for other alternatives in addition to gas and renewable sources.
Disclosing this while making a presentation on ‘Renewable Energy Initiatives in Oman’ at a one-day Indian Solar Networking seminar here, PAEW director (Privatisation and Restructuring) Ahmed Saleh al Jahdhami said that the renewable energy initiatives would form part of the long term fuel diversity strategy for power generation which PAEW is working on.
The seminar was attended by Indian Minister for New and Renewable Sources, Dr Farooq Abdullah and senior officials from the Indian Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Resources and members of the Oman India Business Council.
"In addition to the work on the large scale solar projects, small scale, off-grid pilot projects are being considered. The Rural Area Electricity Company has already received 13 proposals from various private companies for establishing renewable energy pilot projects. The proposals are being evaluated by the Authority for Electricity Regulation and a number of approved projects will be announced in the first quarter of 2010," Jahdhami said.
Speaking to reporters later, Dr Farooq Abdullah said that Oman and India will launch solar power projects on an experimental basis which will be taken up on a large scale once they are successful. "The Government of Oman has prepared a blue paper which was given to us. We will examine it and prepare a final draft."
He said that India had a number of technologies which can be used for producing renewable energy. "We want private enterprise to play a bigger role and the government will act as a facilitator.
There is enormous scope for cooperation between Oman and India to achieve technological advancement in this area," he said.
Muscat, Jan 23: The tendering process for the first ever solar power project in the sultanate is likely to begin in July this year and expected to be completed within twelve months from that date.
At present, the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) is conducting a detailed feasibility study for setting up the power plant with a capacity between 100-200MW through private sector participation on a Build Own & Operate (BOO) basis.
The study will consider all aspects including identifying the best location and a thorough review of existing technologies and support mechanisms utilised internationally. The second phase, the competition process, will begin later this year.
PAEW, together with other competent authorities, will be studying the potential for other alternatives in addition to gas and renewable sources.
Disclosing this while making a presentation on ‘Renewable Energy Initiatives in Oman’ at a one-day Indian Solar Networking seminar here, PAEW director (Privatisation and Restructuring) Ahmed Saleh al Jahdhami said that the renewable energy initiatives would form part of the long term fuel diversity strategy for power generation which PAEW is working on.
The seminar was attended by Indian Minister for New and Renewable Sources, Dr Farooq Abdullah and senior officials from the Indian Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Resources and members of the Oman India Business Council.
"In addition to the work on the large scale solar projects, small scale, off-grid pilot projects are being considered. The Rural Area Electricity Company has already received 13 proposals from various private companies for establishing renewable energy pilot projects. The proposals are being evaluated by the Authority for Electricity Regulation and a number of approved projects will be announced in the first quarter of 2010," Jahdhami said.
Speaking to reporters later, Dr Farooq Abdullah said that Oman and India will launch solar power projects on an experimental basis which will be taken up on a large scale once they are successful. "The Government of Oman has prepared a blue paper which was given to us. We will examine it and prepare a final draft."
He said that India had a number of technologies which can be used for producing renewable energy. "We want private enterprise to play a bigger role and the government will act as a facilitator.
There is enormous scope for cooperation between Oman and India to achieve technological advancement in this area," he said.
Oman will gain from Duqm power project, asserts PAEW
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 26: Defending the move to set up a 1,000MW coal-fired power project in Duqm, Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) said on Monday, that the proposal would help in reducing the forecasted gas demand by 50bn standard cubic feet (SCF) every year which can be allotted to other industries.
Besides low operational and maintenance costs, the cost per unit will come down reducing the government subsidy which stood at RO63mn in 2008 and is likely to go up due to large scale industrialisation in the coming years. The plant will also create between 1,000-25,000 jobs during the four year construction period.
Listing out the benefits that would accrue to Oman, at a seminar on ‘Using Coal For Power Generation in the Sultanate of Oman,’ PAEW Director (Privatisation & Restructuring) Ahmed Saleh al Jahdhami said that the demand for power was growing rapidly and the government was looking at various options as relying on a single source was risky.
The Duqm power project is considered to be one of the major projects in the country and providing a reliable and secure source of electricity and water was of paramount importance in realising its goal. Stockpiling coal for several weeks will also ensure power generation without any disruption, said Jahdhami.
Globally, coal reserves are expected to last for over 100 years but gas may not be available after 40 years.
Jahdhami added that Oman has a long coast and power generation from tidal waves was also possible. “However, our main focus is on solar and wind power which has very good potential in the country. Even a study commissioned in 2008 said the same,” he said. Besides these, the government is also considering nuclear power as an option.
Muscat, Jan 26: Defending the move to set up a 1,000MW coal-fired power project in Duqm, Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) said on Monday, that the proposal would help in reducing the forecasted gas demand by 50bn standard cubic feet (SCF) every year which can be allotted to other industries.
Besides low operational and maintenance costs, the cost per unit will come down reducing the government subsidy which stood at RO63mn in 2008 and is likely to go up due to large scale industrialisation in the coming years. The plant will also create between 1,000-25,000 jobs during the four year construction period.
Listing out the benefits that would accrue to Oman, at a seminar on ‘Using Coal For Power Generation in the Sultanate of Oman,’ PAEW Director (Privatisation & Restructuring) Ahmed Saleh al Jahdhami said that the demand for power was growing rapidly and the government was looking at various options as relying on a single source was risky.
The Duqm power project is considered to be one of the major projects in the country and providing a reliable and secure source of electricity and water was of paramount importance in realising its goal. Stockpiling coal for several weeks will also ensure power generation without any disruption, said Jahdhami.
Globally, coal reserves are expected to last for over 100 years but gas may not be available after 40 years.
Jahdhami added that Oman has a long coast and power generation from tidal waves was also possible. “However, our main focus is on solar and wind power which has very good potential in the country. Even a study commissioned in 2008 said the same,” he said. Besides these, the government is also considering nuclear power as an option.
Surface transport on path to privatisation
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 26: After higher education, electricity, water, ports and airports, it is the turn of surface transport to be privatised in the sultanate. The government has commissioned a detailed study and a final decision will be taken after the report is submitted to the government.
In an interview to Muscat Daily, H E Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, Minister of National Economy and Deputy Chairman of Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, spoke about the plans for privatisation, allaying fears that the interests of employees working in the units will be compromised with.
Privatisation commenced with the sale of government shares in 1988. It was then extended to key sectors like telecommunication, power, ports and education a decade ago. What has been the progress achieved so far?
The Government of Oman is a pioneer in its privatisation initiative in the region and has achieved remarkable progress. A start was made in 1998 by reducing the government's holding in Oman Flour Mills Company. Since then a number of privatisation projects have been completed.
The government's share in Oman Cement Company, which was 63.5 per cent, was reduced to 51 per cent as a first step. The balance of the government share is to be divested later.
Similarly, in Al Maha Petroleum Products Co the government has sold its entire share holding, amounting to 65 per cent, through the Muscat Securities Market.
In the power sector, thanks to its position as the first Arab state to allow private investors to develop independent power plants (IPPs) 15 years ago, Oman currently has one of the most dynamic energy sectors in the region.
The government introduced a legal requirement that all new power generation will be established through IPPs in 2004. As a result, private entrepreneurs already own and operate a substantial part of the generation capacity in the country's power sector.
In Omantel, public issues and lilisting on the MSM of 30 per cent of shares was completed in 2005. The sale of another 25 per cent to a strategic partner was
considered in December 2008 but was kept in abeyance due to unfavourable market conditions.
The government has already restructured some of its activities in corporate entities as a first step for privatisation, like Oman Post, Waste Water Services, Solid Waste Management and Hazardous Waste Management amongst others.
Operation of restructured entities are de-linked from government ministries and handed over to professional management teams, which will pave the way for future privatisation. Sectors like surface transport are undergoing detailed study for restructuring.
It was planned to hand over construction of new greenfield airports and Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) to the private sector. Why has the government decided not to go ahead with the proposal?
With regard to airports, the government has taken the strategic initiative to build them in order to overhaul the nation’s air travel facilities and to meet the growing need from passengers in both business and tourism sectors.
Business volumes in the initial years will not be high enough to attract private investment. However, private sector participation to operate and manage these airports will be considered in the future.
Similarly, efforts are on to restructure ONTC’s operations, which are also linked to the outcome of surface transport sector reforms being studied in detail.
Will the government ask the private sector to construct the 275km rail network (part of the GCC rail project) in the Batinah region?
This project is under study at the moment and the matter of financing has not been identified yet. The government’s financial support to the private sector is on the decline according to the monthly bulletin issued by the Ministry of National Economy.
Does this means the government wants to play the role of a facilitator while encouraging the private sector to invest in critical areas?
The government's support of the private sector has not declined. However, there has been a reduction in government contribution to participation in various international, regional and local organisations. These organisations are not directly linked to the government support to the private sector.
While the government wants to privatise some sectors, what measures have been taken to protect the interest of employees working in them, considering the private management may feel that there is surplus of staff in some industries?
Safeguarding the interests of employees has been one of the key considerations in deciding restructuring and privatisation strategies. Privatisation of a project is approved only after protecting the interests of employees. Moreover, the Privatisation Law has specific provisions to protect the interest of employees like maintaining same level of salary, job security for five years, and continued payment of pension contributions, amongst other things.
Muscat, Jan 26: After higher education, electricity, water, ports and airports, it is the turn of surface transport to be privatised in the sultanate. The government has commissioned a detailed study and a final decision will be taken after the report is submitted to the government.
In an interview to Muscat Daily, H E Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, Minister of National Economy and Deputy Chairman of Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, spoke about the plans for privatisation, allaying fears that the interests of employees working in the units will be compromised with.
Privatisation commenced with the sale of government shares in 1988. It was then extended to key sectors like telecommunication, power, ports and education a decade ago. What has been the progress achieved so far?
The Government of Oman is a pioneer in its privatisation initiative in the region and has achieved remarkable progress. A start was made in 1998 by reducing the government's holding in Oman Flour Mills Company. Since then a number of privatisation projects have been completed.
The government's share in Oman Cement Company, which was 63.5 per cent, was reduced to 51 per cent as a first step. The balance of the government share is to be divested later.
Similarly, in Al Maha Petroleum Products Co the government has sold its entire share holding, amounting to 65 per cent, through the Muscat Securities Market.
In the power sector, thanks to its position as the first Arab state to allow private investors to develop independent power plants (IPPs) 15 years ago, Oman currently has one of the most dynamic energy sectors in the region.
The government introduced a legal requirement that all new power generation will be established through IPPs in 2004. As a result, private entrepreneurs already own and operate a substantial part of the generation capacity in the country's power sector.
In Omantel, public issues and lilisting on the MSM of 30 per cent of shares was completed in 2005. The sale of another 25 per cent to a strategic partner was
considered in December 2008 but was kept in abeyance due to unfavourable market conditions.
The government has already restructured some of its activities in corporate entities as a first step for privatisation, like Oman Post, Waste Water Services, Solid Waste Management and Hazardous Waste Management amongst others.
Operation of restructured entities are de-linked from government ministries and handed over to professional management teams, which will pave the way for future privatisation. Sectors like surface transport are undergoing detailed study for restructuring.
It was planned to hand over construction of new greenfield airports and Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) to the private sector. Why has the government decided not to go ahead with the proposal?
With regard to airports, the government has taken the strategic initiative to build them in order to overhaul the nation’s air travel facilities and to meet the growing need from passengers in both business and tourism sectors.
Business volumes in the initial years will not be high enough to attract private investment. However, private sector participation to operate and manage these airports will be considered in the future.
Similarly, efforts are on to restructure ONTC’s operations, which are also linked to the outcome of surface transport sector reforms being studied in detail.
Will the government ask the private sector to construct the 275km rail network (part of the GCC rail project) in the Batinah region?
This project is under study at the moment and the matter of financing has not been identified yet. The government’s financial support to the private sector is on the decline according to the monthly bulletin issued by the Ministry of National Economy.
Does this means the government wants to play the role of a facilitator while encouraging the private sector to invest in critical areas?
The government's support of the private sector has not declined. However, there has been a reduction in government contribution to participation in various international, regional and local organisations. These organisations are not directly linked to the government support to the private sector.
While the government wants to privatise some sectors, what measures have been taken to protect the interest of employees working in them, considering the private management may feel that there is surplus of staff in some industries?
Safeguarding the interests of employees has been one of the key considerations in deciding restructuring and privatisation strategies. Privatisation of a project is approved only after protecting the interests of employees. Moreover, the Privatisation Law has specific provisions to protect the interest of employees like maintaining same level of salary, job security for five years, and continued payment of pension contributions, amongst other things.
Coal as power feedstock meets with resistance
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 25: Expressing concern over the environmental and health impact of setting up coal-fired power projects in Oman, members of the Shura Council and other delegates at a seminar on 'Using Coal For Power Generation in the Sultanate of Oman' sought to know whether coal should be the fuel when there were enough gas and oil reserves in the country.
“Why should we trust coal. Did the studies find that it was suitable for Oman or for the entire region. Even if it is suitable, should we imitate the West in setting up coal-based power plants. Why import coal when we have gas reserves to generate power?” they said during discussions in the first session of the two-day seminar organised by the Ministry of National Economy (MoNE) on Sunday.
Asserting that they were aware of the risks related to coal based power plants, Council members said the country was not ready for experiments. “We trust the stakeholders. But if His Majesty the Sultan has ordered the plant, we will follow the instruction,” they said and wanted to know if the consultants, who were commissioned to study the feasibility of the coal-based project had visited the proposed site at Duqm.
However, H E Nasser Khamis al Jashmi, Undersecretary of Ministry of Oil & Gas, said that the government has not taken any decision on setting up the coal-fired plant and the seminar was organised to elicit the opinions of experts. The government was also studying other sources like solar and wind and it was not in a position to supply gas to all power projects. “The study relates not only to coal but also looks at all other alternatives,” he said.
Clarifying doubts raised by the participants, speakers - Brain Ricketts (coal analyst at International Energy Agency), Dr Guy Doyle (chief economist at Mott Macdonald Group) and John Evans (project manager of the Medupi coal power project in South Africa) - said that coal as fuel for generating power was cheap compared to liquified natural gas (LNG) and other means.
“We have not included the carbon cost and carbon penalty like in the European Union. If that was made part of the study, thecoal would equal LNG. Hence, economically coal looks like a good deal,” they said.
The sultanate can export gas which has great demand internationally while coal is cheaper. “The cost implications on bio-diversity and global warming cannot be priced and it is a political decision whether to take the risk or not,” they added.
Muscat, Jan 25: Expressing concern over the environmental and health impact of setting up coal-fired power projects in Oman, members of the Shura Council and other delegates at a seminar on 'Using Coal For Power Generation in the Sultanate of Oman' sought to know whether coal should be the fuel when there were enough gas and oil reserves in the country.
“Why should we trust coal. Did the studies find that it was suitable for Oman or for the entire region. Even if it is suitable, should we imitate the West in setting up coal-based power plants. Why import coal when we have gas reserves to generate power?” they said during discussions in the first session of the two-day seminar organised by the Ministry of National Economy (MoNE) on Sunday.
Asserting that they were aware of the risks related to coal based power plants, Council members said the country was not ready for experiments. “We trust the stakeholders. But if His Majesty the Sultan has ordered the plant, we will follow the instruction,” they said and wanted to know if the consultants, who were commissioned to study the feasibility of the coal-based project had visited the proposed site at Duqm.
However, H E Nasser Khamis al Jashmi, Undersecretary of Ministry of Oil & Gas, said that the government has not taken any decision on setting up the coal-fired plant and the seminar was organised to elicit the opinions of experts. The government was also studying other sources like solar and wind and it was not in a position to supply gas to all power projects. “The study relates not only to coal but also looks at all other alternatives,” he said.
Clarifying doubts raised by the participants, speakers - Brain Ricketts (coal analyst at International Energy Agency), Dr Guy Doyle (chief economist at Mott Macdonald Group) and John Evans (project manager of the Medupi coal power project in South Africa) - said that coal as fuel for generating power was cheap compared to liquified natural gas (LNG) and other means.
“We have not included the carbon cost and carbon penalty like in the European Union. If that was made part of the study, thecoal would equal LNG. Hence, economically coal looks like a good deal,” they said.
The sultanate can export gas which has great demand internationally while coal is cheaper. “The cost implications on bio-diversity and global warming cannot be priced and it is a political decision whether to take the risk or not,” they added.
Oman to spend $6bn on power sector by 2016
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 25: Oman will spend over US$6bn in the next six years to meet the growing electricity demand and new power plants are being set up for the purpose, Chairman of Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) H E Mohammed bin Abdullah al Mahrouqui said on Sunday.
The announcement was made at the inauguration of a two day seminar on ‘Using Coal for Power Generation’ in the Sultanate of Oman, organised by the Ministry of National Economy and held under the auspices of H E Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry.
H E Mahrouqui said that the spurt in the sultanate's economic and industrial activities has resulted in the demand for power shooting up from 1,823MW in 2000 to 3,808MW last year.
Power demand is estimated to be around 4,600MW by 2016. “This growth in demand is nearly three times compared to the industrialised nations and we require U$6bn for power and another US$2bn for water."
In a statement, H E Maqbool bin Ali Sultan said all power plants in the sultanate were gas and diesel based and there was no coal fired power plant so far.
He hoped that gas reserves would increase in future so that there is no need for coal to generate electricity. "Any country will have to consider alternatives to the use of fuel for generating electricity if there is insufficient gas."
Muscat, Jan 25: Oman will spend over US$6bn in the next six years to meet the growing electricity demand and new power plants are being set up for the purpose, Chairman of Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) H E Mohammed bin Abdullah al Mahrouqui said on Sunday.
The announcement was made at the inauguration of a two day seminar on ‘Using Coal for Power Generation’ in the Sultanate of Oman, organised by the Ministry of National Economy and held under the auspices of H E Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry.
H E Mahrouqui said that the spurt in the sultanate's economic and industrial activities has resulted in the demand for power shooting up from 1,823MW in 2000 to 3,808MW last year.
Power demand is estimated to be around 4,600MW by 2016. “This growth in demand is nearly three times compared to the industrialised nations and we require U$6bn for power and another US$2bn for water."
In a statement, H E Maqbool bin Ali Sultan said all power plants in the sultanate were gas and diesel based and there was no coal fired power plant so far.
He hoped that gas reserves would increase in future so that there is no need for coal to generate electricity. "Any country will have to consider alternatives to the use of fuel for generating electricity if there is insufficient gas."
UNEP plans strategy to deal with e-waste in Arab region
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 13 : The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is planning to finalise a strategy to deal with the growing electronic waste in the Middle East region by the end of this year.
As part of this exercise, the Manama based UNEP Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA) held a meeting with its stakeholders in Cairo last year to identify the problem in the region, the kind of national strategies in vogue in each country and to come up with an action plan and a regional perspective to tackle it.
"The Cairo meeting concluded that an action plan at the regional level is feasible, identified some problems and found solutions to them. We are now in the process of identifying companies which can invest in the management of e-waste in the region," Dr Habib N El Habr, director and regional representative of UNEP ROWA told Muscat Daily.
E-waste, which comprises the spare parts of junked mobile phones, old television sets, computers, electrical meters and switch boards, and other electronic items, can lead to environ-mental hazards if it is not disposed of with adequate precautions.
Though recycling e-waste is a profitable business, many people are unaware of the monetary gains. It not only yields third grade plastic, but also valuable metals like gold, palladium and platinum, as well as certain non-metallic materials.
“Every time we replace our mobile phone, laptop, personal computer, which we do frequently because of the rapid developments in the IT field, we are adding to rapidly growing environmental problems. The various components of electronic items pose a potential environmental hazard and UNEP wants to address the issue,” Dr
Habr said.
According to him, any regional strategy has to be prepared in consonance with the sub regional action plans on the problem in the GCC, Middle East and North African countries. "This strategy has to be in an adaptable form and meet the special needs of the member countries."
He said the UNEP ROWA was acting like a facilitator in identifying companies which can invest in e-waste management. "We will provide technical support to prospective companies and hope that the entire process will be completed this year."
Recalling his visit to one of the e-waste recycling plants in the UAE last year, Dr Habr said that the company was segregating toxic material from non toxic waste in cell phones in a scientific manner and was sending the material to Germany after treatment.
Muscat, Jan 13 : The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is planning to finalise a strategy to deal with the growing electronic waste in the Middle East region by the end of this year.
As part of this exercise, the Manama based UNEP Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA) held a meeting with its stakeholders in Cairo last year to identify the problem in the region, the kind of national strategies in vogue in each country and to come up with an action plan and a regional perspective to tackle it.
"The Cairo meeting concluded that an action plan at the regional level is feasible, identified some problems and found solutions to them. We are now in the process of identifying companies which can invest in the management of e-waste in the region," Dr Habib N El Habr, director and regional representative of UNEP ROWA told Muscat Daily.
E-waste, which comprises the spare parts of junked mobile phones, old television sets, computers, electrical meters and switch boards, and other electronic items, can lead to environ-mental hazards if it is not disposed of with adequate precautions.
Though recycling e-waste is a profitable business, many people are unaware of the monetary gains. It not only yields third grade plastic, but also valuable metals like gold, palladium and platinum, as well as certain non-metallic materials.
“Every time we replace our mobile phone, laptop, personal computer, which we do frequently because of the rapid developments in the IT field, we are adding to rapidly growing environmental problems. The various components of electronic items pose a potential environmental hazard and UNEP wants to address the issue,” Dr
Habr said.
According to him, any regional strategy has to be prepared in consonance with the sub regional action plans on the problem in the GCC, Middle East and North African countries. "This strategy has to be in an adaptable form and meet the special needs of the member countries."
He said the UNEP ROWA was acting like a facilitator in identifying companies which can invest in e-waste management. "We will provide technical support to prospective companies and hope that the entire process will be completed this year."
Recalling his visit to one of the e-waste recycling plants in the UAE last year, Dr Habr said that the company was segregating toxic material from non toxic waste in cell phones in a scientific manner and was sending the material to Germany after treatment.
Indian Embassy seeks amnesty for its illegal immigrants
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 9: Concerned over the fate of thousands of illegal Indian immigrants in the sultanate, the Indian Embassy in Muscat has started accepting applications from them to seek amnesty from the Oman government on their behalf and facilitate their return to India.
The move comes after the Royal Decree on November 1 last year that amended Labour Law in November last year and provided it more teeth to deal with illegal employment in the country.
The government of Oman had also set a deadline for local employers to regularise such workers before the end of last year. This was later extended by another two months.
The Embassy officials have started the process since mid December and have received more than 11,000 applications so far. They have not fixed any last date for registering them.
This is the third time the Indian Embassy has taken up the task. Some 16,000 people were sent back to India in 2005 and another 3,500 in 2007. Incidentally, H E Anil Wadhwa, the Indian Ambassador to Oman, is dealing with the issue for the second time in the last two and a half years.
The issue came to the fore when the Indian Embassy officials, during their Open House session with Indian expatriates on December 17, were informed about the problem being faced by immigrants who did not have proper documents to work in the sultanate.
“We devised registration forms and had a few volunteers on the embassy premises to accept the applications from them. We have received more than 11,000 applications during the last fortnight out of an estimated 25,000. Since there is no deadline, we appeal to the remaining people to come and register with us,” Wadhwa told Muscat Daily.
Most of these illegal immigrants are from the South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
They have entered the sultanate either illegally from a neighbouring country to work or came on visit visas and were working without permission after their sponsors abandoned them.
The Indian Embassy officials have already written to Minister of Manpower H E Abdullah bin Nasser bin Abdullah al Bakri requesting them to allow the illegals to leave Oman by exempting them from payment of the fine as they are unemployed.
"There are already between 150 to 200 Indians in the detention centres at Samail and other places whose cases are being dealt separately. We want to give them an opportunity to return to India and are awaiting a response from the Ministry of Manpower officials," H E Wadhwa said.
However, the process of illegal immigrants leaving the country is by no means an easy one as there are still some 700 odd people, who have registered in 2007, and are yet to leave Oman as the documentation process is not complete.
Most of the people are ready to pay for their return airfare, but they are in no position to pay the fine amount which may go up to RO1,500. “We will make arrangements for those who cannot pay for their tickets,” H E Wadhwa said. According to the Indian Embassy officials, they would approach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that this group of people are granted amnesty and sent back to their native places without paying a fine.
Muscat, Jan 9: Concerned over the fate of thousands of illegal Indian immigrants in the sultanate, the Indian Embassy in Muscat has started accepting applications from them to seek amnesty from the Oman government on their behalf and facilitate their return to India.
The move comes after the Royal Decree on November 1 last year that amended Labour Law in November last year and provided it more teeth to deal with illegal employment in the country.
The government of Oman had also set a deadline for local employers to regularise such workers before the end of last year. This was later extended by another two months.
The Embassy officials have started the process since mid December and have received more than 11,000 applications so far. They have not fixed any last date for registering them.
This is the third time the Indian Embassy has taken up the task. Some 16,000 people were sent back to India in 2005 and another 3,500 in 2007. Incidentally, H E Anil Wadhwa, the Indian Ambassador to Oman, is dealing with the issue for the second time in the last two and a half years.
The issue came to the fore when the Indian Embassy officials, during their Open House session with Indian expatriates on December 17, were informed about the problem being faced by immigrants who did not have proper documents to work in the sultanate.
“We devised registration forms and had a few volunteers on the embassy premises to accept the applications from them. We have received more than 11,000 applications during the last fortnight out of an estimated 25,000. Since there is no deadline, we appeal to the remaining people to come and register with us,” Wadhwa told Muscat Daily.
Most of these illegal immigrants are from the South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
They have entered the sultanate either illegally from a neighbouring country to work or came on visit visas and were working without permission after their sponsors abandoned them.
The Indian Embassy officials have already written to Minister of Manpower H E Abdullah bin Nasser bin Abdullah al Bakri requesting them to allow the illegals to leave Oman by exempting them from payment of the fine as they are unemployed.
"There are already between 150 to 200 Indians in the detention centres at Samail and other places whose cases are being dealt separately. We want to give them an opportunity to return to India and are awaiting a response from the Ministry of Manpower officials," H E Wadhwa said.
However, the process of illegal immigrants leaving the country is by no means an easy one as there are still some 700 odd people, who have registered in 2007, and are yet to leave Oman as the documentation process is not complete.
Most of the people are ready to pay for their return airfare, but they are in no position to pay the fine amount which may go up to RO1,500. “We will make arrangements for those who cannot pay for their tickets,” H E Wadhwa said. According to the Indian Embassy officials, they would approach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that this group of people are granted amnesty and sent back to their native places without paying a fine.
National Heart Centre to be opened in Royal Hospital
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Jan 3: A state-of-the-art heart institute - National Heart Centre - is coming up on the premises of The Royal Hospital. The construction work on the RO30mn project will begin later this week.
The 140-bed centre is the first of its kind in the sultanate and is expected to be among the top heart institutes in the GCC region. It will have four each of operation theatres and cath labs and the centre will also impart training to doctors and paramedical staff on a regular basis.
"It is a gift from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to the people of the Sultanate. It will be a centre for excellence for treating people suffering from cardiac diseases," Dr Abdulla M al Riyami, senior consultant and head of the department of cardiology of The Royal Hospital told Muscat Daily.
One of the leading business houses in Oman has offered a donation of RO15mn
towards this cause, and the balance RO15mn is being provided by the government.
"The Royal Hospital has performed over 700 cardiac operations and 2,500cath lab procedures since 1990, and the numbers are growing steadily," said Dr Riyami.
At present, the department of cardiology in the hospital has 30 beds for adults while the postcardio surgery for children has four. Dr Riyami added that the present cardiology wing in the Royal Hospital will continue to receive patients as an emergency centre and those who need acute treatment will be referred to the new centre, he added.
Muscat, Jan 3: A state-of-the-art heart institute - National Heart Centre - is coming up on the premises of The Royal Hospital. The construction work on the RO30mn project will begin later this week.
The 140-bed centre is the first of its kind in the sultanate and is expected to be among the top heart institutes in the GCC region. It will have four each of operation theatres and cath labs and the centre will also impart training to doctors and paramedical staff on a regular basis.
"It is a gift from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to the people of the Sultanate. It will be a centre for excellence for treating people suffering from cardiac diseases," Dr Abdulla M al Riyami, senior consultant and head of the department of cardiology of The Royal Hospital told Muscat Daily.
One of the leading business houses in Oman has offered a donation of RO15mn
towards this cause, and the balance RO15mn is being provided by the government.
"The Royal Hospital has performed over 700 cardiac operations and 2,500cath lab procedures since 1990, and the numbers are growing steadily," said Dr Riyami.
At present, the department of cardiology in the hospital has 30 beds for adults while the postcardio surgery for children has four. Dr Riyami added that the present cardiology wing in the Royal Hospital will continue to receive patients as an emergency centre and those who need acute treatment will be referred to the new centre, he added.
New IT Law for corporates to come into force from January 1
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Dec 30: Entering a new era of corporate taxation, the sultanate is ready up to implement the new Income Tax (IT) Law which will come into effect from January 1.
The government has already conducted a seminar for business houses in the sultanate to explain the salient features and also the benefits that can be accrued out of the new Income Tax Law. Even some private firms held similar programmes to clear doubts among the corporate houses.
The new Act, which is aimed at attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), is a blend of two existing tax legislations - one for corporate tax including the tax on foreign companies operating in Oman, and the other for profit tax on establishments in Oman that are owned by either Omani or foreign individuals.
At present, foreign companies, operating in Oman through permanent establishments, are taxed between 5-30 per cent depending on their incomes. "Under the new IT Law, the tax rates have been harmonised and it will be 12 per cent for all firms irrespective of their country of origin. We feel that non-discrimination will ensure more foreign investments into the sultanate," H E Saud bin Nasser al Shukaily, secretary general of taxation, Ministry of Finance, told Muscat Daily.
The existing laws had some ambiguities which were set right by implementing the new Act. After the sultanate became a member of World Trade Organisation (WTO), there was a need to update the existing laws.
"The other reason which necessitated the introduction of the new Income Tax Law is the development of the country's economy and also the growing number of companies," he said.
Another important step in this direction was entering into the Avoidance of Double Taxation treaty, which was signed with 32 countries. The process of signing similar agreements with 20 more countries is under various stages progress. The new law also provides relief to Omani companies when they invest outside and pay taxes on overseas income both here and in the host country. This will be in the form of deduction of the overseas tax paid against the tax payable in Oman and will be given whether Oman has a double taxation treaty with the host country or not.
The new Income Tax Law is a sequel to Royal Decree No 28/2009 which was issued in June this year. Under the new law, the system of income taxation will be changed to the ‘global system of taxation.’
Muscat, Dec 30: Entering a new era of corporate taxation, the sultanate is ready up to implement the new Income Tax (IT) Law which will come into effect from January 1.
The government has already conducted a seminar for business houses in the sultanate to explain the salient features and also the benefits that can be accrued out of the new Income Tax Law. Even some private firms held similar programmes to clear doubts among the corporate houses.
The new Act, which is aimed at attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), is a blend of two existing tax legislations - one for corporate tax including the tax on foreign companies operating in Oman, and the other for profit tax on establishments in Oman that are owned by either Omani or foreign individuals.
At present, foreign companies, operating in Oman through permanent establishments, are taxed between 5-30 per cent depending on their incomes. "Under the new IT Law, the tax rates have been harmonised and it will be 12 per cent for all firms irrespective of their country of origin. We feel that non-discrimination will ensure more foreign investments into the sultanate," H E Saud bin Nasser al Shukaily, secretary general of taxation, Ministry of Finance, told Muscat Daily.
The existing laws had some ambiguities which were set right by implementing the new Act. After the sultanate became a member of World Trade Organisation (WTO), there was a need to update the existing laws.
"The other reason which necessitated the introduction of the new Income Tax Law is the development of the country's economy and also the growing number of companies," he said.
Another important step in this direction was entering into the Avoidance of Double Taxation treaty, which was signed with 32 countries. The process of signing similar agreements with 20 more countries is under various stages progress. The new law also provides relief to Omani companies when they invest outside and pay taxes on overseas income both here and in the host country. This will be in the form of deduction of the overseas tax paid against the tax payable in Oman and will be given whether Oman has a double taxation treaty with the host country or not.
The new Income Tax Law is a sequel to Royal Decree No 28/2009 which was issued in June this year. Under the new law, the system of income taxation will be changed to the ‘global system of taxation.’
Duqm power project receives good response
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Dec 29: More than four dozen companies have shown interest in setting up the 1,000MW coal-fired power project in Duqm, some 600km from Muscat, next to an pcoming port at the same place, on the east coast of Oman.
Enthused by the response, officials are now planning to issue the Request for Qualification (RFQ) for the project (being taken up on a Build, Own and Operate basis) in April 2010, with early power expected in April 2015 and the full commissioning by January 2016.
"We have received 50 Letters of Interest (LoI) from various parties before the close of deadline on December 10 and the responses are being assessed," sources told Muscat Daily.
However, they said that there is no cost or commitment involved to register interest and it would be no obstacle to parties being involved who have not registered interest at the initial stage.
"This is a non-binding market awareness and feedback exercise and the real pulse will be felt when the parties avail RFQ in April next year," the sources added.
As far as finances are concerned, the approach would be along similar lines to the previous Independent Water and Power Projects (IWPPs), subject only to required variations for the fact that the fuel is not gas but coal, which has to be secured from overseas markets.
“Private financing involving equity, banks and export credit agencies is expected with a requirement to go public within a set time frame,” sources said.
The coal-based power project will be the first of its kind in the Middle East and would be connected to the Main Interconnected System (MIS) which serves around half a million consumers in the Muscat and Buraimi governerates, besides large parts of South and North Batinah, Dakhliyah, Sharqiyah and Dhahirah regions.
Coal being the raw material, the government is exploring the possibility of importing it from Australia, South Africa or Indonesia and supply it to the developer. It is also considering both - sub and super critical boiler technologies for the project.
Muscat, Dec 29: More than four dozen companies have shown interest in setting up the 1,000MW coal-fired power project in Duqm, some 600km from Muscat, next to an pcoming port at the same place, on the east coast of Oman.
Enthused by the response, officials are now planning to issue the Request for Qualification (RFQ) for the project (being taken up on a Build, Own and Operate basis) in April 2010, with early power expected in April 2015 and the full commissioning by January 2016.
"We have received 50 Letters of Interest (LoI) from various parties before the close of deadline on December 10 and the responses are being assessed," sources told Muscat Daily.
However, they said that there is no cost or commitment involved to register interest and it would be no obstacle to parties being involved who have not registered interest at the initial stage.
"This is a non-binding market awareness and feedback exercise and the real pulse will be felt when the parties avail RFQ in April next year," the sources added.
As far as finances are concerned, the approach would be along similar lines to the previous Independent Water and Power Projects (IWPPs), subject only to required variations for the fact that the fuel is not gas but coal, which has to be secured from overseas markets.
“Private financing involving equity, banks and export credit agencies is expected with a requirement to go public within a set time frame,” sources said.
The coal-based power project will be the first of its kind in the Middle East and would be connected to the Main Interconnected System (MIS) which serves around half a million consumers in the Muscat and Buraimi governerates, besides large parts of South and North Batinah, Dakhliyah, Sharqiyah and Dhahirah regions.
Coal being the raw material, the government is exploring the possibility of importing it from Australia, South Africa or Indonesia and supply it to the developer. It is also considering both - sub and super critical boiler technologies for the project.
UAE, Bahrain share honours at GCC eGov awards
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Dec 26: Showcasing the best of their achievements in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UAE have bagged five prizes each at the first GCC eGovernment Excellence Awards which concluded in Muscat on Wednesday.
The various categories in which Bahrain won the prizes are; third place in the eServices for eBirth project, first place in eMaturity for the eGovernment Service Delivery Platforms project, third place in eEconomy for the eInvestor project, second place in the eProjects for the Najem Integrated Crime Investigation System project and a special mention for its eTendering project.
The UAE won second prize in the eServices category (DEWA eBill Payment) and third prizes in eContent (eContent GCAA website), eMaturity (eRTA) and eProjects (SAP IS-Utilities and Customer Relationship Management), in addition to a special mention for its Abu Dhabi eGovernment portal in the eContent category.
Speaking to Muscat Daily after receiving the awards, a visibly elated CEO of eGovernment Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain Mohamed Ali al Qaed said: "This shows our country has set up a benchmark in the field of ICT. It also vindicates our stand that Bahrain has been progressing on the right path. The choice of selecting these projects were based on their performance at national level competitions, which were held in May this year.”
He continued saying that the eGovernment Conference had provided an opportunity to review the most prominent UAE, Bahrain share honours at GCC eGov awards achievements for the projects and eGovernment programmes in the GCC countries and created a platform for positive dialogue between workers in the eGovernment sector and the beneficiaries of those projects.
The CEO of Qatar's ICT delegation Eng Ahmed Mohammed al Kuwari said that they would strive hard to get more awards at the next GCC eGovernment Conference.
Oman was third in eMaturity category for its eGovernment Services Portal and second in the eEconomy category for its MSM Mobile Applications and received a special mention for the best eContent (Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources website).
Saudi Arabia won four awards including second prize in the eContent category for the Jeddah Municipal portal, first prize in the eEconomy category for its Saudi payment system, first prize in the eProjects category for its Government Service Bus and received a special mention for its eEconomy project Saudi Electronic Data Interchange Project.
Qatar won three prizes including two first prizes in eServices (Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation) and eContent (Islam Web) in addition to a special mention for best eContent (Supreme Council for ICT) while Kuwait won two special mentions for best eContent for its Ministry of Justice website and in eMaturity in the Ministry of ICT Infrastructure.
Muscat, Dec 26: Showcasing the best of their achievements in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UAE have bagged five prizes each at the first GCC eGovernment Excellence Awards which concluded in Muscat on Wednesday.
The various categories in which Bahrain won the prizes are; third place in the eServices for eBirth project, first place in eMaturity for the eGovernment Service Delivery Platforms project, third place in eEconomy for the eInvestor project, second place in the eProjects for the Najem Integrated Crime Investigation System project and a special mention for its eTendering project.
The UAE won second prize in the eServices category (DEWA eBill Payment) and third prizes in eContent (eContent GCAA website), eMaturity (eRTA) and eProjects (SAP IS-Utilities and Customer Relationship Management), in addition to a special mention for its Abu Dhabi eGovernment portal in the eContent category.
Speaking to Muscat Daily after receiving the awards, a visibly elated CEO of eGovernment Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain Mohamed Ali al Qaed said: "This shows our country has set up a benchmark in the field of ICT. It also vindicates our stand that Bahrain has been progressing on the right path. The choice of selecting these projects were based on their performance at national level competitions, which were held in May this year.”
He continued saying that the eGovernment Conference had provided an opportunity to review the most prominent UAE, Bahrain share honours at GCC eGov awards achievements for the projects and eGovernment programmes in the GCC countries and created a platform for positive dialogue between workers in the eGovernment sector and the beneficiaries of those projects.
The CEO of Qatar's ICT delegation Eng Ahmed Mohammed al Kuwari said that they would strive hard to get more awards at the next GCC eGovernment Conference.
Oman was third in eMaturity category for its eGovernment Services Portal and second in the eEconomy category for its MSM Mobile Applications and received a special mention for the best eContent (Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources website).
Saudi Arabia won four awards including second prize in the eContent category for the Jeddah Municipal portal, first prize in the eEconomy category for its Saudi payment system, first prize in the eProjects category for its Government Service Bus and received a special mention for its eEconomy project Saudi Electronic Data Interchange Project.
Qatar won three prizes including two first prizes in eServices (Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation) and eContent (Islam Web) in addition to a special mention for best eContent (Supreme Council for ICT) while Kuwait won two special mentions for best eContent for its Ministry of Justice website and in eMaturity in the Ministry of ICT Infrastructure.
Qatar makes steady progress in ICT sector
By V L Srinivasan
Muscat, Dec 22 : Less than a decade after coming out with its official portal, which was launched in 2003, Dawlat Qatar (State of Qatar) has been making news in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in recent years.
Besides steadily climbing the ladder in terms of rankings accorded by the Global IT Readiness Report (from 35th place in 2006 to 29th in 2008), Qatar has now drawn up ambitious plans and a strategy to become one of the global leaders in the field of ICT by 2020.
After setting up the ICT Supreme Council in 2004, the Qatari government announced its
ICT Policy last year. In between, the official portal was refurbished and named Hukoomi, through which over 300 services including 50 e-transaction services (the
others being informative in nature) like business-to-business (B2B), government-to- business (G2B) and government- to-citizens (G2C) are offered at present.
The popularity of Hukoomi can be gauged by the fact that 3.5mn transactions have taken place, including issuance of 1.5mn exit permits till the end of 2008.
Qatar is one of the few states in the Middle East which has published a white paper on ICT activities initiated in the country.
“Hukoomi was made the main portal for providing authorised government information and
conduct e-transactions by the ICT Supreme Council,” Eng Ahmad Mohammed al Kuwari,
Gov IT Platforms manager, who heads Qatar's ICT delegation at the first GCC eGovernance Conference, told Muscat Daily.
While all government wings have been computerised and the official-public interface has been reduced considerably, some of the departments have engaged themselves in developing inhouse technologies to upgrade their efficiency further, he said.
The government is also encouraging private sector for developing the sector and several multinational companies like Microsoft have started their operations in the country. “Sustainable and stable national economy of Qatar has been attracting lots of companies from abroad,” he said.
Muscat, Dec 22 : Less than a decade after coming out with its official portal, which was launched in 2003, Dawlat Qatar (State of Qatar) has been making news in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in recent years.
Besides steadily climbing the ladder in terms of rankings accorded by the Global IT Readiness Report (from 35th place in 2006 to 29th in 2008), Qatar has now drawn up ambitious plans and a strategy to become one of the global leaders in the field of ICT by 2020.
After setting up the ICT Supreme Council in 2004, the Qatari government announced its
ICT Policy last year. In between, the official portal was refurbished and named Hukoomi, through which over 300 services including 50 e-transaction services (the
others being informative in nature) like business-to-business (B2B), government-to- business (G2B) and government- to-citizens (G2C) are offered at present.
The popularity of Hukoomi can be gauged by the fact that 3.5mn transactions have taken place, including issuance of 1.5mn exit permits till the end of 2008.
Qatar is one of the few states in the Middle East which has published a white paper on ICT activities initiated in the country.
“Hukoomi was made the main portal for providing authorised government information and
conduct e-transactions by the ICT Supreme Council,” Eng Ahmad Mohammed al Kuwari,
Gov IT Platforms manager, who heads Qatar's ICT delegation at the first GCC eGovernance Conference, told Muscat Daily.
While all government wings have been computerised and the official-public interface has been reduced considerably, some of the departments have engaged themselves in developing inhouse technologies to upgrade their efficiency further, he said.
The government is also encouraging private sector for developing the sector and several multinational companies like Microsoft have started their operations in the country. “Sustainable and stable national economy of Qatar has been attracting lots of companies from abroad,” he said.
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