The Strategic Rise of Enhanced Oil Recovery in Oman

Sustaining the Sultanate: The Strategic Rise of Enhanced Oil Recovery in Oman

As of February 2026, Oman stands as a global leader in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). Faced with some of the most geologically complex reservoirs in the Middle East—characterized by heavy oil and fractured carbonates—the Sultanate has transitioned EOR from an experimental necessity to a core industrial pillar. Today, over 35–40% of Oman’s total oil production is derived from EOR, a figure projected to rise as the nation targets more sustainable and efficient extraction methods.

I. The Strategic Imperative: Overcoming Maturity

Oman’s primary and secondary recovery methods (like water flooding) often leave behind more than 70% of the oil in place due to the high viscosity of its crude and tight rock formations. In 2026, EOR is the primary tool used by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and Occidental Oman to:

• Stabilize Production: Maintaining national output near 1 million barrels per day (bpd) despite field aging.

• Natural Gas Conservation: Replacing natural gas (historically used for steam generation) with solar power, allowing that gas to be diverted to high-value LNG exports or domestic industry.

• Economic Diversification: Creating a "knowledge hub" for EOR expertise that Oman now exports to other maturing basins globally.

II. Flagship EOR Technologies and Projects

Oman utilizes a "triple-threat" of EOR technologies, each tailored to specific reservoir challenges across its northern and southern blocks.

1. Thermal EOR: The "Solar-Steam" Revolution

Thermal EOR is the dominant method for Oman’s heavy oil fields in the south.

• Miraah Solar Project: One of the world’s largest solar thermal plants. Located at the Amal field, it uses massive mirrors enclosed in glasshouses to generate steam. By 2026, Miraah has significantly reduced the carbon footprint of oil production by using concentrated solar power to boil water for injection.

• Mukhaizna (Occidental): A massive steam-flood project that has transformed a once-marginal field into one of the country's most productive assets.

2. Chemical EOR: Tailored Polymer Flooding

In fields like Marmul, Oman has pioneered large-scale polymer flooding.

• Polymer Injection: By adding long-chain molecules to injected water, operators increase its viscosity. This "thick water" acts like a piston, pushing heavy oil through the reservoir more effectively than standard water.

3. Gas Injection and Miscible EOR

For the deep, high-pressure reservoirs in the Harweel Cluster, Oman uses miscible gas injection.

• Harweel Project: This facility injects high-pressure sour gas back into the reservoir. At specific pressures, the gas mixes perfectly (miscibly) with the oil, thinning it out and allowing it to flow toward production wells that were previously inaccessible.

III. EOR Operations at a Glance (2026 Projections)

IV. The 2026 Roadmap: Digital and Decarbonized

The "Oman 2026 Innovation Roadmap" has integrated EOR with the country's Net Zero 2050 goals.

• Digital Twins: AI-driven models of the Yibal and Fahud fields allow engineers to adjust injection rates in real-time, maximizing "sweep efficiency" and reducing water waste.

• CCUS-EOR Pilots: New initiatives in 2026 are testing the injection of captured industrial $CO_2$ for EOR, turning a greenhouse gas into a productive asset while sequestering it permanently underground.

Summary

In 2026, Oman is no longer just an oil producer; it is a laboratory for the future of the industry. By merging renewable energy (solar) with advanced chemistry and gas management, the Sultanate has ensured that its mature fields remain profitable and environmentally responsible well into the mid-century.

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