BP will buy petroleum products from Oman's planned 75,000-bpd Sohar refinery, which is due to begin production in 2006, the company announced yesterday.

The contract with Oman's government-owned Sohar Refinery Co calls for BP to lift all products not required for domestic use for 10 years.

Products BP will take include gasoline, low sulphur gasoil, fuel oil blendstock, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and sulphur. They will be used in the company's own system or traded.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Mohammed bin Hamed Al Rumhy, Minister of Oil and Gas, and Tony Harpur, Middle East and India manager for BP's integrated supply and trading business unit.

Harpur hoped the deal would provide a catalyst for future industrial development in Sohar.

The refinery is to be built by Sohar Refinery Co, set up by the government and Oman Oil Co.

The latter is a state-owned company created to make strategic investments in the energy industry outside Oman, and to assist in establishing a diversified energy-based industry inside.

BP's activities in Oman include gasoline and lubricant sales at 74 service stations through its 49 per cent-owned BP Oman. Air BP is the largest aviation fuel seller at Muscat's Seeb airport.