Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company (Takreer) has set a 2 September deadline for bids on a major new design project for its Ruwais refining complex, sources close to the scheme tell MEED.

The front end engineering and design (Feed) contract is primarily focused on a new carbon black plant at Ruwais. Carbon black is a product of partly incinerated heavy fuel oils, which are used in the manufacture of car tyres and plastics.

It also covers the construction of an integrated delayed coker unit and hydrogen processing facilities. A coker unit takes heavy oil by-products from a main refining unit and breaks them down into lighter, more saleable products while producing ‘coke’ which can be used in the manufacture of metals and plastics.

Takreer is also tendering a project management consultancy contract for the design phase of the project. It received bids for this deal in the second week of August and hopes to award it by the end of the month, sources say.

Firms interested in the deals include the US’ Fluor, Australia’s WorleyParsons and the UK’s Amec. Contractors hope to get more clarity on the management deal before handing in their design proposals, as the firm that wins the first deal will not be eligible to bid on the second.