Oman International Petrochemical Industry Company (Ompet) has received bids from companies vying to build its planned polyester chemicals plant in Sohar.

Companies submitted engineering, procurement (EPC) bids on the project in December and Ompet will assess the proposals before awarding the contract.

Ompet, a joint venture of Oman Oil Company (OOC), the local Takamul Investment Company and South Korea’s LG Corporation, is planning to build a plant with the capacity to produce 1.1 million tonnes a year (t/y) of PTA and 500,000 t/y of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

PTA is an intermediate chemical to produce PET, which is used to make plastic drinks bottles and other packaging.

UK-based energy group BP has been appointed to provide process technology for the PTA production. Germany’s Uhde Investa-Fischer has reportedly been selected to provide the technology for the PET plant.

Australia’s WorleyParsons was appointed as project management consultant (PMC) for the EPC phase.