The bidders are US-based Foster Wheeler Corporation, Shell Global Solutions, part of the Royal/DutchShell Group, Costain Oil & Gasof the UK and SK Engineering & Construction of South Korea.

The contract includes a detailed study into the existing offshore storage facilities; identification of bottlenecks; suggestion of ways to increase storage capacity; and a survey of hydraulic systems and changes to export facilities. The client is Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC).

The project is part of KNPC's programme to increase its refining capacity and add new products. KNPC plans to increase refining capacity to 1.2 million-1.5 million barrels a day (b/d) by 2004/05. At present, the nameplate capacity of the three refineries is about 935,000 b/d.

Foster Wheeler is acting as consultant for a project to maximise the high-value products at the three oil refineries. The firm is expected to prepare a study for the scheme by the third quarter of 2002.

The project will focus on upgrading and modernising the existing facilities and will cover the replacement of some crude distillation units and the installation of continuous catalytic reformer units and related facilities (MEED 25:1:02).