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Oman Latest News : Rumhy sees oil prices staying in $65-$75 range until year-end

Oman not aware of Sri Lanka oil refinery deal, says ministry official

It came as news to me, I don’t know who is signing the cheque for $3.8 billion, Salim Al Aufi, undersecretary of Oman’s ministry of oil and gas, told a news conference on Wednesday

Oman Latest News : Rumhy sees oil prices staying in $65-$75 range until year-end

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Wednesday, March 20, 2019

MUSCAT: Oman’s oil ministry on Wednesday denied being part of a $3.85 billion plan to build an oil refinery in Sri Lanka, a day after the government in Colombo announced the Arab country’s participation, Reuters reported.

On Tuesday, Sri Lankan officials told a news conference that a joint venture between the Oman oil ministry and a Singapore investment vehicle owned by India’s Accord Group had agreed to build the 200,000 barrel per day refinery near Chinese-controlled Hambantota port on the island’s south coast.

The ministry was to take a 30 percent stake, the officials said, representing what would be Sri Lanka’s biggest single foreign direct investment.

This was reported by Reuters.

However, Salim Al Aufi, undersecretary of Oman’s ministry of oil and gas, told a news conference on Wednesday, that “No one on this side of the panel is aware of this investment in Sri Lanka.”

“It came as news to me, I don’t know who is signing the cheque for $3.8 billion.”

According to Reuters, Sri Lankan officials could not be reached for immediate comment on the Oman denial.

Reuters reported that “It was a public holiday in Sri Lanka on Wednesday.”

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