Refining Growth
According to preliminary statistics from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total production of Omani refineries increased by 11.1% by the end of February 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. This growth was driven by increases in gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG, and naphtha.
This movement suggests increased activity intensity in the country’s downstream sector, with a growth pattern quite widespread across various product lines. In market terms, this is usually associated with a combination of stronger domestic demand and improved export positioning.
Driving Products
Diesel was the most dynamic segment, with a 16.5% increase to 12.91 million barrels, while naphtha grew by 15.4% to 6.55 million barrels. Aviation fuel also stood out, advancing 13% to 4.91 million barrels, in line with a recovery in air travel demand.
Regular Mogas 91 gasoline rose by 10.3% and premium Mogas 95 increased by 11.4%, while LPG grew by 11.4%. This set of figures shows that growth is not dependent on a single product, but on a broader basket of refined products.
Sales and Exports: Specific Pressure
Although production grew in almost all categories, some commercial signals were mixed. For Mogas 91, for example, sales decreased by 0.8% and exports fell by 26.7%, suggesting specific pressure in that segment.
In contrast, diesel showed more robust performance: sales rose by 4.5% and exports by 24.3%. Jet fuel and LPG also saw simultaneous increases in sales and exports, reinforcing the interpretation of a favorable external market for several refined products.
Petrochemicals and System Performance
The petrochemical segment showed greater heterogeneity. Benzene and paraxylene registered production increases, while polypropylene fell by 9.2% despite its sales rising by 47.2% and exports by 6.9%.
A more useful essential component is that Oman is not only refining more, but is also demonstrating an industrial chain with uneven results depending on the product. This makes it a good indicator for analyzing both the strength of the downstream sector and the inherent volatility of petrochemical markets.
What can be said based on the report is that the increase was driven by the aggregate performance of Omani refineries, especially in diesel, naphtha, aviation fuel, LPG, and gasolines.
Source: https://www.oilandgasmiddleeast.com/
Photo: Shutterstock