Oman's first asphalt plant, designed to produce paving bitumen, will come on stream in the first quarter of 2010.

The project, involving an investment of around $80 million, will be established within the Sohar Refinery complex at the Port of Sohar, reported Oman Daily Observer.

When operational, the plant will end the Sultanate's total dependence on imported bitumen for blacktopping the country's burgeoning network of roads.

An agreement was signed awarding a contract for the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) work on the project to Engineers India Limited (EIL), Asia's leading engineering consultancy.

Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Oil and Gas Nasser bin Khamis Al Jashmi signed the deal with EIL General Manager (Marketing) RC Verma.

Currently, Oman’s requirement of bitumen is entirely imported from neighbouring countries, chiefly Iran and Bahrain. Imported bitumen is primarily of the 60/70 penetration grade for road construction.

Total consumption of paving bitumen products is estimated at around 2,500-3,000 barrels per day (bpd), with the demand projected to climb to around 5,000 bpd by 2010. Around 320 barrels of paving grade bitumen is required for every kilometre of highway paved.