Executive Summary

Heavy oil represents one of Oman's largest untapped resources, but extracting it efficiently remains a formidable challenge due to its poor flow characteristics. Oman is a prime example of this challenge: a large portion of the country's oil reserves comprises heavy crude, which is becoming increasingly important as its light-oil fields mature. Traditionally, Omani operators have relied on energy-intensive enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods - such as steam flooding and polymer injection - to extract heavy oil successfully. While effective, these techniques are costly and complex.

Hydraulic fracturing has emerged as a more efficient way to extract heavy oil. Abraj Energy Services recognized its potential early and has led the application of fracturing in Oman's heavy oil fields, demonstrating its viability. The results have yielded significant production improvements: in one South Oman pilot, a fracturing treatment tripled an old well's oil production and restored it to continuous operation.

Abraj Energy Services' integrated approach - combining deep reservoir understanding, tailored frac fluid design, and high-quality execution - offers a cost-effective alternative for developing heavy oil. Fracturing can rapidly boost production from existing wells and is often implemented faster and more economically than drilling new wells.

This paper examines the heavy oil challenge, reviews conventional solutions and their limitations, and highlights how Abraj Energy Services' hydraulic fracturing solution has delivered results. With hundreds of aging wells across Oman facing similar production declines, hydraulic fracturing could unlock millions of barrels of stranded oil, transforming an economic liability into a national asset.