The Middle East

While Oman’s seafaring heritage and 3165 km of coastline has meant the country has been home to capture fisheries activity since time immemorial, the nation’s aquaculture industry remains at a nascent stage – despite government efforts to encourage its growth dating back decades. A Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth (MoAFW) sponsored...

The large number of ongoing or expected construction projects in Oman is positively impacting a range of industries and sectors throughout the country’s economy. The cement segment is no exception to this trend. After experiencing a period of lower prices during 2011, the industry is expected to grow steadily over the coming three to four years.

Increasing the country’s electricity supply will remain a major priority for Oman’s power sector through the foreseeable future. Indeed, the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWPC) reported in its most recent annual forecast that peak power demand across the country should rise from 4193 MW in 2011 to 7271 MW in 2018 – a substantial...

The mining industry in the sultanate is changing in a number of positive ways. Most notably, output has increased substantially for laterite and several minerals, including gypsum. According to data released by the Ministry of Culture and Industry (MoCI) in 2012, laterite production climbed by over 92%, from around 375,000 tonnes in 2010 to over...

Talk to anybody working in the Omani oil and gas sector and it’s not long before the question of human resources arises. “The reservoirs here are hugely challenging, so the competency gap is a problem, but it would even be a problem in the US or any other market. We need to work with the government to provide adequate training,” Chokri Ben Amor, the general manager of...