International consultancy and construction company, Mace, has been selected by Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic) for a significant consultancy contract on projects across Oman.

This appointment will see Mace provide contract administration, contract engineering and commercial management services to several hundred contracts which cover ongoing opex and capex projects in Muscat and Sohar, said a statement.

Located in Sohar and Muscat, Orpic is one of Oman’s largest companies and one of the fastest growing businesses in the Middle Eastern oil industry, providing fuels, chemicals and feedstock locally and across the globe.

Orpic is currently managing the delivery of three major projects: Sohar Refinery Improvement Project, Liwa Plastics Projects and the Muscat-Sohar Product Pipeline.

Ibrahim Al Kalbani, manager procurement, contracts and inventory (PCI), said: “We are delighted to be working with Mace on this important framework. Orpic’s mission is to build an integrated Omani refining and petrochemical business that we can be proud of and we believe that Mace’s expertise will contribute to Orpic’s growth phase that, we all believe, will leave a lasting legacy for Oman.”

Mace managing director for cost consultancy Mena,  Mark A Taylor, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for Mace in this region and internationally, to demonstrate our ability to provide contract engineering and commercial management support to large complex projects in the oil and gas sector. It is a 2020 vision of Mace to have an extensive track record within the oil and gas sector over the next five years, and this opportunity will significantly enhance our capability and credibility in this sector."

Mace’s presence within the oil and gas sector has seen significant growth as of late, securing a global framework with Halliburton and Exxon Mobil and an Americas framework with BP. With specific reference to the energy and utilities sector, Mace has had a strong presence since 2005 with contracts across a range of utilities including water, gas, nuclear, electricity, waste, energy and district heating. There are over 400 staff working directly on energy and utility projects, in many cases embedded into the client’s organisation acting as programme advisors and project managers. - TradeArabia News Service