Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has set a deadline of 15 September for engineering firms to submit commercial bids for the front-end engineering and design (feed) contract for the proposed linear alkylbenzene (LAB) plant in the Ruwais downstream complex, a source close to the project has said.

Adnoc Refining is building the plant in a joint venture with Mubadala-owned Spanish energy firm Cepsa.

Technical bids for the feed work have already been submitted.

“Adnoc expects to award the feed contract in Q4 of this year,” the source said.

The following firms have reportedly been invited to bid for the feed work by Adnoc:

• Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)
• WorleyParsons (Australia)
• Samsung Engineering (South Korea)
• GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Bechtel (US)
• Wood Group (UK)

Adnoc and Cepsa signed a memorandum of understanding in November to conduct feasibility studies for the LAB plant, which is estimated to cost $600m.