Oman Oil Marketing Co., Wakud explore selling biodiesel blends to commercial, marine segments

Oman Oil Marketing Co. and Wakud International LLC have signed an agreement to explore the potential of selling different blends of biodiesel to customers in the commercial and marine segments.

For corporations developing decarbonization strategies, biodiesel can produce immediate impact without any capital expenditure. With almost no sulfur, biodiesel is attractive to marine customers looking to abide by IMO standards and specifications for low-sulfur fuel.

“Oman Oil Marketing Co. has been successfully leading the fuel-marketing sector in the Sultanate by being customer-centric and providing the highest level of service to its customers,” said CEO Tarik Al Junaidi. “This collaborative work with Wakud is another example of how Oman Oil Marketing Co. has always been focusing on customers’ needs as this will allow us to provide new products that support its customers to achieve their decarbonization target and drive the Oman 2040 vision towards sustainability. We are proud of Wakud as Omani SME and we trust both of us can contribute to the growth of Oman economy.”

Maher Al Habsi, CEO of Wakud, added, “We are very excited to partner with Oman Oil Marketing Co. to maximize the benefits of the circular economy within Oman. Together, with Wakud’s waste-based biodiesel and Oman Oil Marketing Co.’s vast distribution network and logistics expertise, we believe we can help customers meet their carbon-reduction targets without the need for expensive investment.”

Biodiesel lifecycle CO2 emissions are up to 85 percent less than petroleum diesel. Replacing a liter of petroleum diesel with a liter of used cooking oil-based biodiesel can save 2.6 kilograms of CO2 emissions. Biodiesel has been a part of the energy mix in Europe, the U.K. and U.S. for the past 20 years and is typically sold as a blend with petroleum diesel (between 5 percent and 20 percent biodiesel mixed with petroleum diesel fuel). Using a blend requires no changes to existing engines, and virtually all engine manufacturers support biodiesel blends without affecting engine warranties.

As the leader in the fuel-marketing sector in Oman, Oman Oil Marketing Co. is involved in the marketing and distribution of fuel and lubricant products and operates in the sectors of fuel retailing, direct fuel sales to government and the commercial sector, lubricants, aviation refueling and storage and distribution. The company has also begun to diversify and expand its business model into renewable-energy solutions and future mobility.

Wakud, an Omani SME, operates a biodiesel plant in Khazaen Economic City, Barka. The plant declared commercial operations at the beginning of 2022 and has a capacity to produce more than 1.5 million gallons per year. The plant recycles used cooking oil, collected from hotels, restaurants and catering companies within Oman into biodiesel.