International contractors are preparing to bid for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract to build a desalter train in Kuwait.

The client on the contract, which is estimated to be worth $250m, is state-owned upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC).

KOC is planning to install the desalter train in four separate portions at the gathering centres known as GC-09, GC-10, GC-19 and GC-21.

A pre-tender meeting for contractors is due to take place on 14 January and the deadline for bid submission is 11 March.

Desalter units remove salt that is dissolved in the water mixed with the crude oil. Salts that are often present in crude oil include calcium, sodium and magnesium chlorides. If these compounds are not removed from the oil it can cause problems during the refining process, including the formation of corrosive hydrochloric acid and deposits that can block heat exchangers.

The companies prequalified to bid for the contract are: