South Korea’s GS Engineering & Construction has emerged as the frontrunner for a deal to build a water treatment plant for Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), after submitting the lowest price in a 1 July bid round.

GS’ price of $69m beat rival proposals from second placed CTCI Corporation from Taiwan with $85m and $87m from Samsung Engineering, also of South Korea.

Some 28 local and international companies were prequalified for the deal. Eight companies submitted prices including:

• JGC Gulf International (Japan)
• Veolia Water Solution (UK)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Larsen & Toubro (India)
• Technip (France)

The plant will gather wastewater from Bapco’s 267,000 barrel a day (b/d) Sitra refinery when completed in 2013, before treating it for re-use within the refinery. Hydrogen sulphide and ammonia are typical components in sour water from refineries, which must be stripped out before the water can be re-used. The plant will have a capacity to treat 19,200 cubic metres a day.

Bapco is planning a $2bn upgrade to the refinery, as well as a new pipeline, which would connect the refinery to crude supplies in Saudi Arabia. Studies are being carried out by Bapco and US consultant, Chevron Lummus Global. A contract could be awarded by the end of 2013 (MEED 13:8:10).

The US’ CH2M Hill was awarded the front-end engineering and design deal in August 2009.