Bidders for the EOC contract include: a consortium of Kayson Groupand Chagalesh Consulting Engineers, both local, with the UK's Foster Wheeler Energy; Germany's Lindeand Europe's ABB; Canada's SNC Lavalin, with the local Daria Pala; and Sazeh Consultand Jahanpars, both local. Technical evaluation is now under way and commercial bids are expected to be opened before the end of the Iranian year on 21 March.

The estimated $850 million project will involve the installation of more than 600 kilometres of pipeline, with diameters of eight-36 inches, which is the most expensive part of the job. The other main component of the contract is an ethane recovery plant.

The Aghajari project is expected to reverse field depletion in one of the country's oldest oil producing areas and to add incremental production of 300,000 barrels a day. Gas will be provided from the South Pars and Salman gas fields through the fifth Iranian gas trunkline pipeline now under construction by the local Oil Turbocompressor Engineering Companyand France's Alstom.