Wednesday 29 / October / 2025
Musandam: His Excellency Sayyid Ibrahim bin Said Al Busaidi, Governor of Musandam, patronized the recognition ceremony organized by OQ Exploration & Production (OQEP) to honor national entities participating in the “Nawras 2025” exercise. The exercise forms part of national efforts to enhance coordination and ensure an effective response to various environmental challenges and emergency situations, in line with the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan and the company’s Emergency and Crisis Management Plan.
The exercise was conducted in Musandam Governorate in cooperation with the Environment Authority (EA), in addition to several public and private institutions, with the aim of enhancing preparedness and developing field response mechanisms to ensure environmental protection and community safety.
The ceremony honored representatives from the EA, the Maritime Security Center, the Royal Air Force of Oman, the Royal Navy of Oman, various divisions of the Royal Oman Police, the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior, and the Oman Oil and Environmental Services Company, in recognition of their active contributions to the success of the exercise and the achievement of its objectives.
In his remarks during the ceremony, Mr. Suleiman bin Mohammed Al Salimi, Vice President for Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE), emphasised: “This exercise reflects the company’s commitment to enhancing the preparedness of its emergency response teams and strengthening coordination and integration among the various national entities involved. These efforts aim to ensure a swift and effective response to potential oil spill incidents—God forbid—and to safeguard human safety and the marine environment in Musandam Governorate.”
“The exercise served as a practical model of cooperation among national institutions, enabling participants to test containment, rescue, field communication, and unified command procedures. This strengthens confidence in the nation’s capabilities to address various environmental challenges in line with the highest international standards” He added.
Al-Salmi pointed out that the “Nawras 25” exercise represented an important milestone for testing field readiness through a simulated oil spill scenario that evolved in rapid phases. During the exercise, participants faced a series of operational and environmental challenges designed to mirror a range of realistic and potential situations.
This provided a valuable opportunity to assess response speed, team coordination efficiency, and the effectiveness of command and control systems. It also contributed to strengthening national capabilities in managing environmental crises and enhancing the readiness of emergency teams to handle such incidents through a methodology based on planning, simulation, and continuous improvement.
OQEP continues its commitment to working with partners across various sectors to strengthen the national environmental emergency preparedness framework, contribute to the protection of natural resources, and support the Sultanate of Oman’s goals of achieving sustainable and balanced development.
