Contractors are waiting for news on the ranking of bids for the three packages on a planned processing plant at the Fadhili oil field in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Aramco received engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) proposals for the tender on 27 July after twice extending the deadline for bids.

According to sources familiar with the project, five bids were received for the main processing facilities package (package 1), four bids were received for the sulphur recovery unit (package 2) and six bids were received for the offsites and utilities (package 3).

The bidders for each package are:

Package 1: main processing facilities

• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea) / Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)
• JGC Corporation (Japan) / Saipem (Italy)
• Daewoo Engineering & Construction / Samsung Engineering(South Korea)
• Petrofac (UK)

Package 2: sulphur recovery unit

• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea) / Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)
• JGC Corporation (Japan) / Saipem (Italy)
• Petrofac (UK)

Package 3: offsites and utilities

• Daelim Industrial (South Korea)
• Daewoo Engineering & Construction / Samsung Engineering(South Korea)
• GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea) / Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• JGC Corporation (Japan) / Saipem (Italy)
• Petrofac (UK)

The budget for the Fadhili plant has been expanded to about $6.5bn, according to industry sources, up from initial estimates of $5bn.

Each package is expected to be valued at more than $2bn. Other work connected to the project is expected to be tendered in the future, including a large pipeline package.

MEED reported in early March that many of the EPC contractors bidding for the packages at the scheme had split into consortiums.

The Fadhili plant will process sour gas from the Khursaniyah oil field and the Hasbah non-associated gas field. Aramco has ramped up its offshore non-associated gas operations in the Gulf in recent years and is developing several fields in the region. These include the Karan, Hasbah and Arabiyah fields.