The scope of works for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) package entails the installation of a gas processing train and associated compressor units with capacity to handle about 120 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) of gas.

Bids are also under evaluation for the pipelines package, which entails the installation of 87 kilometres of 16-inch-diameter and 60 kilometres of 12-inch-diameter pipeline to tie the Safaa field into the distribution network of Oman Gas Company (OGC).

Three contractors are understood to be competing for the work. They are: Dodsal; Athens-based Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCC), with Italy's Saipem; and The Oman Construction Company (TOCO), part of Willbros. Australia's Worleyhas completed the front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for the project, which is valued at about RO 78 million ($200 million).

The scheme is intended to augment the gas to be supplied to the power and desalination plant of Fujairah's Union Water & Electricity Company (UWEC)in the UAE. The government signed in early February two firm agreements with Abu Dhabi-based Dolphin Energy and UWEC to supply 135 million cf/d of gas feedstock into the Dolphin network until Qatari gas comes on stream in 2006/07 (MEED 7:2:03).