State-owned upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has extended the bid deadline for the planned desalter train in Kuwait.

The new deadline for the project, estimated to be worth $250m, is 3 June.

It is not the first time that the project deadline has been extended. Previous deadlines given to contractors include 20 May, 17 April and 1 April.

Six international contractors attended the pre-tender meeting on 14 January to discuss the planned desalter train. They were:

• SK E&C (South Korea)
• Saipem (Italy)
• Petrofac (UK)
• L&T (India)
• SNC-Lavalin (Canada)
• Samsung Engineering (South Korea)

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.

The contract uses the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) model.

Desalter units remove salts including calcium, sodium and magnesium chloride that are dissolved in the water mixed with crude oil.

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.