It is understood that Italy's Snamprogetti is the low bidder at just under $470 million. Its offer is about 5 per cent lower than the next price offered by Paris-based Technip-Coflexip. The two other bidders are JGC Corporation of Japan and US-based Bechtel. Theysubmitted offers in the range of $550 million.

The front-end engineering and design (FEED) was prepared by Bechtel.

The project involves the addition of new facilities at Abu Dhabi's two existing refineries. At Ruwais, where the bulk of the work will take place, new units to be installed include two continuous catalytic reformers, each of 12,000 barrels a day (b/d); heavy and light naphtha hydrotreaters, with a total capacity of 31,700 b/d; a 15,000-b/d gas/oil hydrotreater; a sulphur plant; and utilities. At Umm al-Nar, new storage and blending facilities are planned.