Abu Dhabi Gas Industries (Gasco) is holding a series of technical clarification meetings with bidders for its new sulphur handling and processing project at Habshan, in the southwest of the emirate.

The meetings started on 5 October, with the last set for 18 October, says a source close to the scheme.

At least nine firms submitted bids on 21 September, including Dodsal and Punj Lloyd, both of India; Italy’s Saipem; and South Korea’s GS Engineering & Construction.

Dates for commercial submissions have not yet been announced.

The facility will be used to form and granulate 10,000 tonnes a day (t/d) of sulphur through existing facilities, as well as Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s (Adnoc) new integrated gas development. Set for completion in 2014, the development will add another 700 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) of gas to its current production of an estimated 4.85 billion cf/d. The gas contains between 4.5-7.2 per cent sulphur.

The deal is part of Abu Dhabi’s plan to build an estimated $2bn of new sulphur handling and distribution facilities, which will increase production fourfold to 7 million tonnes a year (t/y) by 2015 from 1.7 million t/y in 2008 (MEED 17:8:10).

Commercial submissions were submitted on 29 September for a second deal to build a sulphur handling and export terminal at Ruwais, which will bring the port’s total sulphur capacity up to 20,000 t/d.

The four bidding groups include: Italy’s Techint with the local Al-Jaber Group; Dodsal; Punj Lloyd; Saipem; and Athens-based Consolidated Construction Company (CCC).