Under the project specifications, the successful bidder will build a 300,000-barrel-a-day GOSP plant in addition to a range of other facilities. These include a desalter/dehydrator, a water/oil separator, two high-pressure production traps (HPPT), one low-pressure production trap (LPPT), three seawater injection pumps, two crude shipping pumps, plant utilities and gas-gathering - among other - facilities. Additional work covers the installation of an injection pump at Haradh GOSP 2.

Aramco's approved budget for the total project is understood to be $300 million, with the LSTK contract estimated to be worth at least $120 million. Invitations to bid are scheduled to be released in November, following prequalification. The bid deadline will be January 2004 and the contract is due to be awarded three months later. The project is due to come on stream in April 2006.

The US' Foster Wheeler is providing project management consultancy (PMC) services.