The $3.6 billion Liwa Plastics Project, which aims to manufacture polyethylene for the first time in Oman, will invite bids for the construction of the project by the end of this year in order to commence operations by 2018, a report said.

The project, launched by Orpic (Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company), will create 1,200 to 1,500 direct jobs as well as thousands of indirect jobs, added the Oman Observer report, quoting Dr Malcolm Cook, vice-president — Business Development, ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions Process Technologies (Uhde).

“Orpic has been very aggressive in meeting the deadlines and timetables and we hope that we can bid for the project by end of this year,” he said, explaining that the project is divided into four packages.

All the four packages will be done together and the first one will be the cracking and earthling to ethylene and propylene.

The second package is bidding for the polymer package to make the polyethylene and polypropylene and the management is bidding it in partnership with German-based Linday, the report said.

“To achieve the best output, we will be partnering with CCC, the local company for the construction side while paying 100 per cent attention to ICV (In Country Value) by supporting and enhancing the local business units and interests,” Dr Cook added.