Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI) and Oman’s state-owned energy company OQ Group have reportedly signed an agreement on the implementation of the Duqm petrochemical complex. According to a February 23 Zawya report citing Kuwaiti Arabic-language outlet Al-Seyassah, the initial implementation phase of the Duqm petrochemical complex is expected to begin in 2026.
The project is reportedly being advanced by OQ8, a joint venture between Oman’s OQ and KPI, which operates the Duqm Refinery within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) in southeastern Oman. The petrochemical complex is planned to utilize feedstock from the Duqm Refinery. OQ8 CEO Abdullah Al Ajmi reportedly told Oman Daily Observer in an interview that FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) is underway for a reformer unit that would upgrade low-value straight-run naphtha into a high-octane gasoline blendstock.
According to a December 2025 Reuters report, after Saudi Arabia’s SABIC withdrew from the Duqm petrochemical project, OQ had reportedly been in discussions to find a new partner. This agreement with KPI is reportedly cited as the result of securing that partner.
- Duqm Refinery throughput: reportedly expanded by about 10%, from an original design capacity of 230,000 barrels per day to approximately 255,000 barrels per day through operational optimization
- Petrochemical complex: initial implementation phase expected to begin in 2026
- Reformer unit: FEED underway (specific completion date not disclosed)
- OQ8 has reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to supply coke to a cement plant in Duqm through 2028
- OQ8 is also reportedly planning executive-level organizational changes, including a deputy CEO position, in the first half of 2026