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The Sultanate's quiet transformation — where Oman Vision 2040, the Duqm mega-port, and a green hydrogen revolution create a distinctive Gulf practice.
Oman is the Gulf's most strategically positioned diversifying economy. With a GDP of approximately US$105 billion, a population of 4.5 million, and coastlines spanning the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, the Sultanate offers direct access to Indian Ocean shipping lanes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz — a geographic advantage that underpins the Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority (SEZAD), one of the largest industrial zones in the Middle East. Oman Vision 2040, the Sultanate's comprehensive economic diversification programme, is reshaping the legal and commercial landscape across energy, logistics, tourism, mining, and manufacturing.
Oman's energy transition is among the most ambitious in the Gulf. The Sultanate has committed to producing 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030 and 8.5 million tonnes by 2050, with projects including the ACME green hydrogen facility in Duqm and the Hyport Duqm project (a joint venture between OQ Group and DEME). These projects, alongside traditional oil and gas operations (Petroleum Development Oman, Oman LNG), create a unique energy practice that spans hydrocarbons and renewables simultaneously.
GSDA's Muscat office serves international contractors, energy companies, logistics operators, and corporate clients navigating Oman's distinctive legal environment. The Sultanate's regulatory approach — more measured and consultative than some of its Gulf neighbours — combined with its strategic geography and the Duqm mega-project create a practice unlike any other in the region.
The Muscat office coordinates with our Dubai hub for GCC-wide mandates, our Paris headquarters for European companies (particularly French energy and infrastructure companies active in Oman), and our other Gulf offices for the cross-border transactions that frequently involve Omani parties.
Office Details
Industries we serve
Oman's energy practice uniquely spans traditional hydrocarbons (PDO, Oman LNG, BP Oman, TotalEnergies) and the Gulf's most ambitious green hydrogen programme. We advise on upstream and downstream oil and gas contracts, green hydrogen project development, renewable energy PPAs, EPC contracts, and the regulatory framework governing the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and OQ Group.
The Duqm SEZ — covering 2,000 km along the Arabian Sea coast — is Oman's flagship diversification project, featuring a dry dock, refinery, petrochemical complex, and logistics hub. We advise on SEZAD licensing, land lease agreements, construction contracts, and the zone's specific regulatory framework.
Oman's strategic position along Indian Ocean shipping lanes — with the ports of Sohar, Salalah, and Duqm offering alternatives that bypass the Strait of Hormuz — drives a significant logistics and maritime practice. We advise on port concession agreements, shipping contracts, free zone licensing, and the regulatory framework governing Asyad Group.
We advise contractors on FIDIC-based contracts, government procurement compliance under the Tenders Law, delay and defect claims, and dispute resolution — covering road networks, airport expansions, and major developments in Duqm, Muscat, and Salalah.
Oman has significant deposits of chromite, copper, gypsum, and limestone. We advise on mining licences, concession agreements, environmental compliance, and the Public Authority for Mining regulatory framework — including specific requirements for foreign participation.
Oman targets 11.7 million visitors by 2040. We advise on hotel management agreements, eco-tourism development contracts, licensing, and the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism framework for developments in Jebel Akhdar, Musandam, and Dhofar.
We advise on the legal structuring of Oman's green hydrogen projects — one of the Gulf's most dynamic emerging practice areas. Our work covers joint venture agreements, EPC contracts, power purchase arrangements, offtake agreements, and the evolving regulatory framework governing green energy in the Sultanate.
We advise investors, contractors, and operators on all aspects of the Duqm Special Economic Zone — SEZAD licensing, land lease negotiations, construction contracts, the zone's tax incentive framework, and the specific dispute resolution mechanisms available within the SEZ.
We represent clients before the Omani Commercial Courts and in OCAC arbitration proceedings. Our understanding of Omani judicial practice — including specific procedural requirements and the court system's approach to commercial disputes — ensures effective advocacy from the outset.
We advise on the full spectrum of energy contracts in Oman — from PDO and Oman LNG upstream agreements to downstream refining and petrochemical contracts, and the new generation of renewable energy and green hydrogen project agreements.
We advise international companies on the MOCIIP registration process, the amended Foreign Capital Investment Law (which permits 100% foreign ownership in most sectors), joint ventures with Omani partners, and the specific structuring considerations for companies operating in Oman's free zones and the Duqm SEZ.
Oman's Omanisation programme sets specific workforce nationalisation quotas by sector. We advise employers on compliance strategies, employment contracts under the Omani Labour Law, termination procedures, end-of-service benefit calculations, and the Ministry of Labour's enforcement approach.
Regulatory environment
Oman's legal system is based on civil-law principles, with the Basic Statute of the State (promulgated by Sultan Qaboos in 1996 and amended under Sultan Haitham) serving as the constitutional framework. The Civil Transactions Law, Commercial Companies Law (amended 2019), and Foreign Capital Investment Law (amended 2019) form the primary statutory framework for commercial practice. Oman's system is heavily influenced by Egyptian civil law, with Sharia supplementing in personal status and specific commercial areas.
The Omani judiciary comprises the Courts of First Instance, the Courts of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. The Oman Commercial Arbitration Centre (OCAC) administers institutional arbitration, and Oman is a signatory to the New York Convention. The Duqm Special Economic Zone has its own regulatory framework and dispute resolution mechanisms, including the SEZAD regulatory authority and the planned Duqm commercial court.
Key regulatory bodies include the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) for banking and insurance regulation, the Capital Market Authority (CMA) for the Muscat Stock Exchange, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MOCIIP) for company registration and foreign investment licensing, and the Ministry of Energy and Minerals for upstream and downstream energy regulation. The Omanisation programme — the Sultanate's workforce nationalisation initiative — is administered by the Ministry of Labour and applies across all sectors, with specific quotas varying by industry. The recently enacted Personal Data Protection Law (2023) adds a new dimension to regulatory compliance for companies operating in the Sultanate.
The GSDA advantage
At the centre of the Gulf's most ambitious green hydrogen programme — advising on the new energy projects that position Oman as a future global leader in clean energy exports.
Deep expertise in the Duqm Special Economic Zone — Oman's flagship diversification project and the largest industrial zone development in the region.
Paris-Muscat corridor: TotalEnergies, Engie, and other French energy and infrastructure companies are significant investors in Oman — our dual presence enables integrated cross-border legal strategy.
Strategic geography expertise: Oman's ports (Sohar, Salalah, Duqm) offer shipping alternatives that bypass the Strait of Hormuz — we advise the logistics and maritime companies capitalising on this geographic advantage.
Trilingual team in Arabic, English, and French — serving Oman's international business community, the Sultanate's government entities, and the European companies investing in Oman's diversification programme.
Oman's green hydrogen regulatory framework is still evolving — GSDA's Muscat team provided the legal certainty we needed to commit to our investment in the Duqm project. Their understanding of both the energy sector and the SEZ framework was invaluable.
Head of Projects, European Renewable Energy Developer
Our Muscat office advises on energy and green hydrogen projects, Duqm SEZ matters, logistics and maritime, construction and infrastructure, tourism and hospitality, mining, corporate structuring, and dispute resolution under Omani law. We serve energy companies, contractors, logistics operators, and corporate clients operating in the Sultanate.
Green hydrogen is a core emerging practice area for our Muscat office. Oman's commitment to producing 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030 is generating a new wave of joint venture, EPC, and project finance work. We advise on the legal structuring, contracting, and regulatory compliance for these pioneering projects.
Yes. We advise investors, contractors, and operators on all aspects of the Duqm SEZ — SEZAD licensing, land lease agreements, construction contracts, the zone's tax incentive framework, and the specific regulatory and dispute resolution mechanisms within the zone.
We represent clients before the Omani Commercial Courts and in OCAC arbitration proceedings. Oman's judicial system has specific procedural requirements, and our local practice knowledge ensures effective dispute resolution strategy from the outset.
Our Muscat office coordinates with our Dubai hub for GCC-wide mandates, our other Gulf offices for cross-border transactions, and our Paris headquarters for European companies operating in Oman. This network is particularly valuable for energy and infrastructure clients with operations spanning multiple Gulf states.
We advise on the MOCIIP registration process and the amended Foreign Capital Investment Law, which now permits 100% foreign ownership in most sectors. We also advise on the specific structuring considerations for companies operating in Oman's free zones (Sohar, Salalah) and the Duqm Special Economic Zone.
Omanisation is the Sultanate's workforce nationalisation programme, setting specific quotas for Omani nationals by sector. We advise employers on compliance strategies, the Ministry of Labour's enforcement approach, and the structuring of employment arrangements that satisfy Omanisation requirements while maintaining operational effectiveness.
Yes. Oman's strategic position along Indian Ocean shipping lanes — with ports that bypass the Strait of Hormuz — drives a significant logistics and maritime practice. We advise on port concession agreements, shipping contracts, free zone licensing, and the regulatory framework governing Asyad Group and the Ministry of Transport.
