The four prospective bidders for the contract are understood to be Sharjah-based Petrofac International, Italy's Snamprogetti, Canada's SNC Lavalinand Paris-based Technip. The project calls for the use of miscible gas injection to increase production from Harweel's seven carbonate stringer reservoirs. Oil from the first, conventional, phase in development at the Harweel field came on stream in March at 12,000 b/d.

Harweel is one of three EOR schemes planned by PDO as it aims to raise declining output, which is expected to fall again in 2004 to 650,000 b/d from 703,000 b/d in 2003. A list of about four prequalifiers is close to being finalised for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract on the $1,500 million-2,000 million Mukhaizna thermal injection project, with a full tender expected by year-end. Shareholder approval is expected to be sought in 2005 for the Qarm Alam scheme, which will use a steam-assisted gas/oil gravity drainage system to raise output to about 30,000 b/d (Oman, MEED Special Report, 28:5:04, page 30).