Germany’s Linde, South Korea’s Samsung and Taiwan-based CTCI are competing for the estimated $100m contract, which covers the supply of catalysts used in polypropylene production.

An award is expected by the end of May.

Catalysts are used in chemical processes to speed up chemical reactions. Because they wear down relatively quickly, producers have to continually replace them.

Sabic, the region's largest company and the world's biggest chemical firm by market value, produces more than 8 million tonnes a year of polymers, including polypropylene.