Called IWJ-4, the 1,000-tonne facility will be installed about 40 kilometres offshore in a water depth of 30 metres. It will consist of a two-level deck - with an associated helideck - and will have 12 well slots and a two-bay vertical jacket, supported by driven, through-leg piles. The project will take about 15 months to complete.

Prequalifiers for the estimated $50 million contract include: Jebel Ali-based J Ray McDermott (Middle East); Abu Dhabi's National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC); India's Larsen & Toubro; a five-member regional group led by APMof Saudi Arabia and including Egypt's Petrojet, Al-Khodari Industrial Trading & Services (KITS)of Saudi Arabia, Al-Rafid, also of Saudi Arabia, and Ramunia of Malaysia; Rafif General Trading & Contracting Company of Kuwait with Malaysia's Sime Darby Engineering Berhad; and Sharjah-based MIS.

KJO is evaluating bids for the first offshore package, covering a subsea pipeline, submarine cables and structural platform modifications. The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract is estimated to be worth at least $20 million.

Prequalifications are also due to be submitted by 8 August for two detailed design and EPCIC packages covering on- and offshore works at the DZ. Estimated to be worth a total of $200 million, the contracts involve the installation of new inlet compressors, gas compression and processing facilities, flare systems, two new flow stations and two 43-kilometre-long pipelines. Contractors can submit prequalifications for one or both of the packages.

KJO, a 50:50 joint venture of Kuwait Gulf Oil Company (KGOC)and Saudi Arabia's Aramco Gulf Operations Company (AGOC), is pressing ahead with a $1,800 million, five-year investment programme aimed at increasing crude output by 100,000 barrels a day (b/d) to 700,000 b/d.