Two companies - Germany's Linde and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries- are understood to be the only bidders for the PE package, which calls for the construction of a linear low-density PE (LLDPE) and a high-density PE (HDPE) train with capacity of 400,000 tonnes a year (t/y) each. Both units will use the Unipol PE process from the US' Univation Technologies. Commercial offers are due to be submitted on 9 April.

Four companies are understood to have submitted technical offers for the construction of a 600,000-t/y EG plant using technology developed by US-based Scientific Design Company, a 50:50 joint venture between Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic)and Germany's Sued Chemie.

The bidders are: CTCI of Taiwan, South Korea's Samsung Engineering Company, Japan's Toyo Engineering Corporationand Linde. Commercial offers are due in mid-April.

Sharq is also preparing to receive technical offers for its planned 1.4 million-t/y mixed ethane/propane cracker project in April, although industry sources say the deadline might be extended (MEED 4:2:05).

Sharq, a Sabic affiliate, has appointed Foster Wheelerof the US to carry out project management consultancy (PMC) and front-end engineering and design (FEED) services for all units except the cracker.

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