State-upstream operator, Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has pushed back the deadline for proposals for two pipeline repair and maintenance deals.

The first scheme covers maintenance and repair services for pipelines at gas facilities and the deadline for bids has been pushed back to 7 October, from 9 September.

The second deal is for the repair, replacement and modification of oil pipelines in the West Kuwait area and Kuwait’s export facilities. Proposals will now be submitted on 9 October, instead of the original 23 September deadline.

No reason was given for the delays. Since the beginning of the year, Kuwait has awarded a number of small pipeline contracts, the largest of which was with the local Khalifa Daij al-Dabbous & Bros Company worth KD8.3m ($29.5m) for pipeline repair in the south and east of Kuwait.

The Gulf state plans to increase production to 4 million barrels a day (b/d) by 2020 and will have to revamp its oil transport infrastructure to cope with the increase.