Crude oil storage

The Strait of Hormuz is the world's primary oil chokepoint.

In Port of Oman, Duqm is the absolute leader in the throughput and storage of crude oil.

According to the EIA, 17 million barrels of oil, representing 30% of all maritime-traded petroleum, passed through the strait each day in 2013. Oil from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Iran, and Iraq all pass through the strait and head mostly towards Asia, although tankers can also head west towards the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. The Strait of Hormuz is able to accommodate the largest oil tankers in the world.

Flows through the Strait in 2011 were roughly 35 percent of all seaborne traded oil, or almost 20 percent of oil traded worldwide. More than 85 percent of these crude oil exports went to Asian markets, with Japan, India, South Korea, and China representing the largest destinations. In addition, Qatar exports about 2 trillion cubic feet per year of liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the Strait of Hormuz, accounting for almost 20 percent of global LNG trade. Furthermore, Kuwait imports LNG volumes that travel northward through the Strait of Hormuz. These flows totaled about 100 billion cubic feet per year in 2010.

At its narrowest point, the Strait is 21 miles wide, but the width of the shipping lane in either direction is only two miles, separated by a two-mile buffer zone. The Strait is deep and wide enough to handle the world's largest crude oil tankers, with about two- thirds of oil shipments carried by tankers in excess of 150,000 deadweight tons.

Ideal oil port for the supply of crude oil for Middle East and Asia

The port of Duqm is a very convenient choice for the supply and transit of crude oil in Middle East and Asia. Since the tank terminals are located directly on deep water and Duqm has no locks or tides, Duqm can accommodate even the largest oil tankers such as ULCCs and supertankers with a capacity of 500,000 DWT. Through an extensive network of pipelines, the crude oil is transported efficiently and safely to the refineries.