Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has announced plans to halve gas flaring at its Block 6 concession over the next five years.

The project will involve substantial investment in equipment, training and personnel and is being undertaken in line with PDO's environmental responsibility programme.

The announcement was made by PDO managing director John Malcolm, speaking to the Oman Daily Observer in Muscat.

PDO is the largest single gas producer in Oman, with current output standing at 400,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day, produced from more than 4,000 wells.

Mr Malcolm said the company has already halved gas flaring since 2006, and is now focusing on a further 50 per cent reduction over the next five years.

PDO is a contributor to the Global Gas Flaring Reduction partnership, a scheme led by the World Bank intended to dramatically cut gas flaring in the global oil and gas industry.

Addressing gas flaring requires substantial investment in pipeline capacity in order to contain spikes in gas pressure which would normally be flared off.

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