State-owned Oman Oil Refineries & Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic) has invited bids for a multi-million dollar contract for the installation of a flare gas recovery project at the company’s Sohar refinery, a report said.

Orpic plans to invest in a state-of-the-art system to help capture and compress flared waste gas for use in the refinery as a fuel gas, added the Oman Observer report.

“The use of the Flare Gas Recovery System (FGRS) in the facility will provide the dual benefits of energy conservation and emissions abatement by recovering, instead of flaring, process vent gases,” Orpic said in a statement.

John Zink Hamworthy Combustion, a US-based specialist in flare gas recovery systems, will provide the technology for Orpic’s flare gas recovery project, the report said, adding that the firm was also selected provide the basic engineering design for the project.

“The basic processes employed in the (Flare Gas Recovery System) are the collection of flare gases from the liquid seal drum, compression of the gases, and physical separation. Gas compression is performed by liquid ring compressors and the separation of recovered vapour from a mixed liquid is accomplished in a horizontal separator vessel,” said the Orpic statement.

The successful bidder will secure a contract for the design, fabrication, supply and installation of a package of works that includes liquid ring compressors and associated equipment, the report added, noting that bids are due in by September 20.