Gasco intends to carry out the project in three packages. The first will cover the supply and installation of compressor and booster stations, dehydration units and facilities on Das island for the separation and treatment of bulk natural gas liquids (NGL) recovered from offshore gas. Package 2 will involve the supply and installation of a 24-inch-diameter, 200-kilometre-long marine and land pipeline to transport 470 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) of associated gas from Das island for processing at Habshan. The last package will cover the supply and installation of a 24-inch, 110-kilometre offshore pipeline.

Contractors can bid for one or more of the packages, as well as offer an overall price. A tender for the EPC contract is due to be issued before year-end. The estimated $550 million scheme is targeted for completion by the second quarter of 2008.

The UK office of the US' Fluor Corporation is carrying out the front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract, which is due to be completed in November. Shaw Stone & Webster, part of the US' Shaw Group, has the contract to provide project management consultancy (PMC) services for the FEED phase.

The project will connect the onshore and offshore gas networks in Abu Dhabi emirate and increase OAG utilisation by 200 million cf/d. At present, Gasco operates eight process trains at Habshan, handling more than 3,300 million cf/d of associated and non-associated gas.