Technical bids were submitted on 2 October to the client, Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (Adco). The bidders are Fluor Daniel and Bechtel, both of the US, and France's Technip.

Bids have also been submitted for the post of project management consultant. The bidders include Foster Wheeler Corporation, Parsons Corporation, Fluor Daniel and Shaw Groupsubsidiary Stone & Webster, all of the US, VECOof Canada and the UK/Netherlands Royal Dutch/Shell Group.

The project involves increasing oil production from the onshore Rumaitha and Al-Dabbiyah fields to a sustainable capacity of 150,000 barrels a day (b/d) and a maximum level of 180,000 b/d. The two fields are producing small volumes at present (MEED 8:6:01).