Seven international firms submitted commercial bids by the 11 January deadline. Technical bids were submitted by mid-December.

Called the inter-refinery pipelines (IRP) project, the project includes the supply and installation of: a 16-inch-diameter multi-products pipeline from Ruwais to Mussafah; a 10-inch-diameter gas/oil pipeline and a 12-inch-diameter naphtha and jet fuel pipeline from Umm al-Nar to Ruwais; a 10-inch-diameter jet fuel pipeline from Mussafah to receiver facilities at Abu Dhabi International Airport; and a 12-inch-diameter multi-products pipeline to tie in at Maqta with the existing Umm al-Nar-Al-Ain pipeline.

The contract also entails the construction of pump houses at Ruwais and Umm al-Nar, a new 32-inch gas/oil pipeline and conversion of the 36-inch-diameter crude oil pipeline for the export of condensate.

The project is estimated to cost at least $200 million. The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract will be carried out in 30 months.

A team of Penspen Internationaland Halcrow Group, both of the UK, has carried out the feasibility studies for the new facilities. The client is Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company (Takreer).