Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic) has partnered with Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and the Japan Cooperation Centre Petroleum (JCCP) on a project for the treatment hazardous refinery waste, a report said.

The agreement for the development of a ‘Local Treatment Alternative Pilot for Exported Hazardous Refinery Waste’ was signed by Dr Rahma bint Ibrahim al Mahrouqi, SQU deputy vice chancellor for Postgraduate Studies & Research, Christiaan van der Wouden, chief operating officer of Orpic and Eiji Hiraoka, senior executive director, JCCP, reported Oman Observer.

The budget for the joint project consists of a fund proposed by JCCP and SQU/Orpic contribution. The two-year long project includes pilot test for local treatment alternative for exported refinery hazardous waste; and pilot equipment to be installed and operated at the Orpic refinery, the report said.

“Health, safety and environment are the first priorities of Orpic and the project that explores hazardous refinery waste treatment technologies locally would open up now frontiers of knowledge in waste management leading to environmental protection and safety of people in Oman,” van der Wouden was quoted as saying in the report.