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 Timeline

Historical Timeline of PDO between 1937 and 2016.
 

2016

The Company boosted its employment efforts with an historic pledge to create 50,000 job opportunities in non-oil sectors, such as aviation, tourism, manufacturing and services.

 2015

​PDO and GlassPoint Solar announced plans to build Miraah one of the world’s largest solar plants.

2014

The Harweel 2AB project became fully operational, injecting up to 1.7 million cubic metres of miscible gas a day to extract oil.

2013

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said made an historic visit to PDO headquarters at Mina Al Fahal on the 12th of May.

2012

The Amal West steam plant was commissioned and scored a first in PDO history with its application of steam EOR on a commercial scale. Moreover, the world-first Nimr reed beds project began treating water produced through oil production.

2011

The Qarn Alam project produced its first steam, with oil production going on-stream.

2010

PDO successfully commissioned the Company's first full-scale enhanced oil recovery project at Marmul. The Marmul Polymer Project in the south of PDO's concession area added a further 8,000 barrels of oil production per day over the following years.

2009

PDO officially inaugurated the Kauther Gas Plant, which could process up to 20 million cubic metres of gas per day destined for the Omani market.

2008

The Company celebrated the 30th year of gas production, which represented about 40% of its total production of hydrocarbons.

2007

The Company celebrated its 40th year of exporting oil, but had little time to rest on its laurels, with the announcement on the discovery of the Budour North East oilfield and the award of contracts for the two enhanced oil recovery projects, at Qarn Alam and Marmul.

2004

New 40-year concession and shareholder agreements were signed.

2002

The Company embarked on a long term strategy to grow oil production on the basis of enhanced oil recovery projects.

2000

The Company became the first exploration and production company in the Middle East to achieve the ISO 14001 environmental management certification for the entirety of its operations.

1999

The Central Processing Plant at Saih Rawl and the gas pipeline from Saih Rawl to the Oman Liquefied Natural Gas plant at Qalhat are commissioned.

1998

The Company launched its Local Community Contractor initiative to support the development of companies within the concession area, thereby promoting economic growth.

1996

The Company took up the responsibility of delivering gas from the Central Oman fields to a liquefied natural gas plant near Sur for a period of 25 years.

1995

Oil production reached 803,000 barrels per day, of which the southern oilfields contributed almost half.

1991

Major gas discoveries were made at Saih Rawl and Barik in Central Oman.

1987

Average daily oil production was increased to 561,000 barrels.

1984

An agreement was signed with the Government to carry out an exploration programme to find new reserves of natural gas.

1981

The Marmul field, which proved to be commercially viable upon reappraisal, was brought on-stream, realising the oil production potential in South Oman.

1980

The Company was registered by Royal Decree as a limited liability company under the name, Petroleum Development Oman, and its nautilus logo was introduced.

1978

On behalf of the Government, the Company constructed a gas pipeline from the Yibal field to the coast, fuelling a power and desalination plant at Al Ghubrah.

1975/76

Central Oman oilfields were brought on-stream, raising oil production to an average of 341,000 barrels per day.

1974

The Government acquired a 60% stake in the Company.

1972

Oil production reached 281,778 barrels per day.

1970

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said came to power.

1969

Dhofar was regained as part of the Company's concession.

1967

The first export cargo of Omani oil - 543,800 barrels - was loaded onto a tanker.

1966

A power plant was constructed at Fahud, a pipeline to the coast was laid, and an industrial complex at Saih Al Maleh (later renamed as Mina Al Fahal) was built.

1963/64

The Natih and Fahud fields were discovered: an oil-producing nation was born.

1962

After drilling several more dry wells, oil was finally struck at Yibal.

1957

Dhofar-Cities Service, which had acquired the Dhofar concession, discovered the Marmul oilfield, but its development was judged to be commercially unviable.

1956

First exploration well was drilled in Fahud.

1951

Dhofar was relinquished from the concession; thereafter, the Company adopted the name, Petroleum Development (Oman).

1937

Sultan Said bin Taimur granted a 75-year concession to the Iraq Petroleum Company, which set up a subsidiary Petroleum Development (Oman and Dhofar) Ltd., to carry out the operations.