The North Oil Company (NOC) is seeking expressions of interest from engineering, procurement and construction contractors for a set of new offshore pipelines at the Al-Shaheen oil field, according to sources close to the project.

NOC, a joint venture (JV) between state-owned QP and France’s Total, plans to build two 18-kilometre pipelines, the sources said. One will have a 14-inch diameter for transporting wet crude from the field, and the other a 20-inch diameter seawater pipeline.

No further details were included in the brief scope sent to potential contractors.

NOC began a 100-well, five year drilling programme at the Al-Shaheen field in 2017, to help maintain output from the offshore field. Production has fallen to around 300,000 barrels a day (b/d), but still contributes around half of Qatar’s total oil output. Existing development on the field consists of 30 platforms and 300 wells.

Total joined the field in July 2017, taking over from Denmark's Maersk Oil after signing a 25-year deal with QP, for the concession which lies 80km north of Ras Laffan. Maersk had been the operator since 1992. QP retains 70 per cent stake, while Total holds the rest of the new JV.

Qatar Petroleum is also looking to move ahead with long-held plans to boost production from the Bul Hanine oil field. The state energy giant is heard to be currently evaluating proposals for a pre-front-end engineering and design (feed) of new facilities at the offshore fields.

First announced in 2014, Doha has struggled to make progress with the estimated $11bn project due to low oil prices, and increased scrutiny over the cost of the project. It awarded a major contract to US offshore engineering firm McDermott for new platforms and subsea pipelines late last year, but since then there have been no further awards.