BHEL said in a release that this is a significant achievement as it is the first `Advanced Class'' gas turbine ever to be exported from India.

The unit, commissioned for Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) — a joint venture of the Government of Oman, Shell International, Total and Partex — is located at its Qarn Alam project, about 400 km from Muscat. BHEL is currently in the process of installing the second unit of the same rating at this project.

BHEL had achieved a breakthrough in bagging this engineering, procurement and construction export order for setting up a 140-MW gas turbine-based turnkey power plant from PDO. The order envisaged supply, installation and civil construction of two Frame 6FA `Advanced Class'' gas turbines (70 MW each at ISO condition) at its project at Qarn Alam. The project is scheduled for completion by June.

This was the second order on BHEL for a gas turbine-based power project from PDO and came after the successful completion of its 90 MW (3x30 MW) gas turbine-based Hubara power project in the year 2000. This contract from PDO has firmly established the public sector major in the overseas petroleum sector for power plant equipment, the release said.