The deadline for bids is 10 August. Scop says it will not necessarily accept the lowest-priced bid.

The Czech Republic's Prokop Engineering, together with its compatriot Technoexport, already has a deal to upgrade the refinery for South Refineries Company (SOC).

Under the terms of the deal, the group will install a crude distillation unit with a capacity of 70,000 b/d and a liquefied petroleum gas plant by 2011 (MEED 18:7:08).

Iraq's four refineries, at Daura, Basra and the twin facilities at Baiji in the north, have a nameplate refining capacity of just under 600,000 b/d, while demand stands at about 570,000 b/d, according to the US' Energy Information Administration.

Other refinery projects planned by Baghdad include facilities in Kurdistan, Dohuk, Amarah and Koya.