Saudi Aramcoissued in early October the invitation to bid (ITB) package for the expansion of the Juaymah fractionation plant. Bidders have been given until 31 December to bid for the estimated $200 million lump-sum turnkey (LSTK) contract.

Among the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors expected to bid for the Juaymah contract are Italy's Snamprogetti, Paris-based Technip, Italy-based Techintand Spain's Tecnicas Reunidas. The project covers the addition of a fourth train to fractionate 270,000 barrels a day (b/d) of ethane and natural gas liquids (NGL) and 100,000 b/d of propane and NGL.

The Juaymah tender is the second to be released on the estimated $1,700 million Hawiyah natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery programme: LSTK bids are due on 31 January for the construction of the estimated $1,200 million Hawiyah NGL plant (MEED 1:10:04).

Prospective bidders for the Hawiyah NGL plant include the US' Fluor Daniel, Japan's JGC Corporation, the US' Bechtel, Chiyoda Corporation, also of Japan, Snamprogetti and Technip. The work is being tendered in two packages, covering two gas treating trains and three NGL recovery units. The plant will have capacity to treat 3,800 million cubic feet a day of gas and will produce dry gas, NGL and ethane.

Prospective bidders attended a job explanation meeting held for both projects by Aramco in London in early October (MEED 24:9:04).