Several companies have submitted technical bids on a project to expand oil production facilities at Abu Dhabi’s onshore Bab field, according to sources familiar with the scheme.

Project owner Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations (Adco) received technical engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) bids on 14 March after the deadline was extended a month from 14 February.

Adco retendered the Bab Integrated Facilities Expansion scheme on 22 December, a year after cancelling a previous tender on the project. The new tender is thought to have a reduced scope of works and the estimated budget has been reduced from $3bn to about $2bn, sources told MEED.

Companies and consortiums submitting technical bids are thought to include:

• China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Company (CPECC; China)
• JGC (Japan) / National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC; UAE)
• Petrofac (UK)
• Saipem (Italy)
• SK Engineering & Construction (South Korea) / Intecsa (Spain)
• Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)

Adco has set a deadline of 9 May for companies to submit commercial bids for the project.

The scope of work involves installing new facilities at Adco’s Bab field, located 160 kilometres southwest of Abu Dhabi city. As part of the original scope, surface facilities would be delivered for the Thamama-A, Thamama-H and Thamama-B production zones to achieve a total sustainable oil production rate of 450,000 barrels a day (b/d).

Adco is a joint venture of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and six international oil companies. Adnoc recently completed the joint venture by awarding stakes to two Chinese companies.