Oman posts $4.1 billion 2008 surplus on oil rally

DUBAI (Reuters) – Non-OPEC oil producer Oman posted a budget surplus of 1.58 billion rials ($4.1 billion) in 2008, the highest this decade, as revenues from oil exports surged, official data showed.

Total state revenues rose 34.9 percent to 7.98 billion rials while expenditures by the Gulf state climbed 8.9 percent to 6.4 billion rials, the Ministry of National Economy said in a monthly report on its website.

The surplus was the highest since at least 2001, according to historical data posted on the central bank’s website.

Reuters