State energy giant Saudi Aramco has awarded eight of the main construction contracts on its estimated $10bn Yanbu refinery project.

The company signed the contracts with seven international engineering firms on 28 July, it said in a statement released on the same day. Aramco did not comment on the value of the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) deals.

The contracts were awarded to:

• Coker block – Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)
• Gasoline process unit, hydrocracker – Daelim Corporation (South Korea)
• Crude distillation unit – SK Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Tank farm - Engineering for the Petroleum & Process Industries (Enppi) (Egypt)
• Offsite pipelines – Dayim Punj Lloyd (local/Indian)
• Onsite pipeline relocation – Rajeh H al-Marri (Saudi Arabia)
• High voltage electrical package – Saudi Services (Saudi Arabia)

The local Abdulraman al-Shalawi Establishment was awarded the site preparation package on the refinery in January.

Firms submitted bids for the EPC contract to build a solids handling unit on 6 July after a series of delays to the tender process. They had originally been asked to submit cost and engineering proposals for the package in February. Firms that bid on this deal include:

• Daelim Industrial (South Korea)
• GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• JGC Corporation (Japan)
• Lurgi (Germany)
• Petrofac (UK)
• Saipem (Italy)
• Techint (Italy)
• Thyssenkrupp (Germany)

Earlier in July, MEED reported that Aramco was pushing ahead with its plans to build the 400,000 barrel a day (b/d) export refinery on its own. The project was delayed when the US’ ConocoPhillips, Aramco’s partner on the scheme, decided to pull out.

Aramco has set up a new company, Red Sea Refining Company, to oversee the project.