Al-Dhafra Petroleum Operations Company has extended the deadline for bids on a field development project at the Haliba onshore oil field in Abu Dhabi.

Technical engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) bids were submitted in November but the commercial bid deadline has been extended to 26 March from a previous date of 15 March.

According to sources familiar with the project, the following companies are understood to have submitted technical bids:

• ABB (Switzerland)
• China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC; China) / Technip (France)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• JGC (Japan)
• KBR (US)
• National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC)
• Saipem (Italy)
• SNC Lavalin (Canada)
• Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)
• Tecnimont (Italy)

Al-Dhafra Petroleum is 60 per cent owned by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), with a 40 per cent stake held by South Korea’s Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) and GS Energy.

A 30-year deal was signed in March 2012, giving Al-Dhafra Petroleum the rights to explore three oil blocks; two onshore and one offshore. It was the first time South Korea – a major customer for UAE crude – took ownership of upstream assets in Abu Dhabi.

The front-end engineering and design (feed) study for the Haliba field scheme has been completed by France’s Technip. The study is thought to cover an oil field development at Area 1 in the southeast Abu Dhabi. The work will include bringing commercial production on stream at the Haliba field for the first time.