Ten local and international companies submitted bids in April for the estimated $70 million contract. They are: Equinox Engineeringand Ivanhoe Oil & Gas, both of Canada; Ireland's Petrel Resources; Italy's Progetti; France's Prosernat; the local State Company for Heavy Machinery; two unidentified local Kurdish companies; and unidentified Czech and Indian firms. The scope of works includes the construction of dehydration and condensate separation facilities, with capacity to process 50 million cubic feet a day and new sweetening facilities near an existing gas treatment plant in Kirkuk operated by state-owned North Oil Company (NOC).

The bidders have an option to carry out the project's construction, although SCOP is likely to undertake the construction and construction management itself. The client is looking to resolve technical issues by the end of September, before inviting companies to submit commercial bids in October. A selection is expected to be made by the end of the year (MEED 22:4:05).