Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority (Sezad) has invited companies to submit bids on the construction of pipeline support infrastructure in Duqm, central Oman.

Contractors will compete for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) tender for the Duqm Refinery services corridor connecting the downstream oil facility to the liquid jetty.

Sezad has set a bid deadline of 3 November with a visit to the project site scheduled for 16 September, the authority announced.

The project comprises a corridor including earthworks together with associated concrete and bridge works to allow refinery operator Duqm Refinery to lay pipes connecting to the Port of Duqm.

Duqm Refinery, a joint venture of Abu Dhabi’s state-owned International Petroleum Industries Company (Ipic) and Oman Oil Company (OOC), is planning to build a 230,000 barrels a day (b/d) refinery at the site.

Oman-based Galfar Engineering & Contracting was earlier this year awarded the contract for site preparation work, which is set for completion in the second quarter of 2015.

Duqm Refinery is expected to finalise a shortlist of prequalified companies for the refinery’s two main EPC packages during September. The tenders could be floated by the end of 2015.

The company told MEED earlier this year that the proposed petrochemicals project planned for the site has been put on the backburner until the refinery is completed.