Swedish oil firm Tethys Oil said it expected to start production at an onshore block in Oman by mid-2009.

Production of condensate and natural gas at block 15 is expected to begin at preliminary levels in July 2009 and rise about three-fold by October 2010 to a total of more than 12,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day, according to figures provided by Thethys in a statement.

The gas production is estimated to remain stable for a five-year plateau while condensate output is estimated to decline by 20 per cent a year, it said.

Tethys is the operator of the block with a 40 per cent interest, while Denmark's Odin Energi holds the rest.

Tethys also has acquired 50 per cent interests in onshore blocks 3 and 4 in Oman, according to its Web site.-Reuters