CPECC was the low bidder for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract at LD 41.3 million ($30 million), after final prices were submitted in November. Its offer was about 1.5 per cent lower than the next price of LD 41.9 million ($31 million) submitted by Egypt's Petrojet. Five companies participated in the final round of pricing, with the other bidders being Germany's MAN GHH, Athens-based Joannou & Paraskevaides (J&P - Overseas) and Bonatti of Italy with UAE-based Petrofac International.

The contract will involve the construction of a 42-inch-diameter, 215-kilometre-long pipeline with capacity of 1,500 million cubic feet a day. ZOC will supply the line pipe. The project will supply gas that will either run on to Melitah and Italy via the recently-commissioned Greenstream subsea pipeline or be used as feedstock for power generation. Gas will be sourced from the Faregh field and from Zueitina's own concession.

ZOC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Oil Corporation (NOC) and operates five fields in Intisar, southeast of Tripoli.

Major pipeline work is also planned by another wholly-owned NOC subsidiary- Arabian Gulf Oil Company (Agoco). Twelve international and local companies have submitted bids for an engineering and construction contract to replace a part of the 600-kilometre-long Sarir-Tabruk main oil pipeline. Estimated to be worth $35 million-40 million, the contract covers the installation of a 34-inch, 80-kilometre pipeline, launchers, slug catchers and valves. Agoco will supply the line pipe.

The bidders include CPECC, Petrojet, J&P (Overseas), Bonatti, MAN GHH, India's Punj Lloyd, Italy's Sicim, Al-Hamada and Irish International Construction Corporation (IICC), both locally-based, and Gama, Ostaz and Dogus, all of Turkey.Technical evaluations are due to be completed by late February, with an anticipated contract award in April.