State-refiner, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) has extended the deadline by two months for proposals for the construction of new sulphur-handling and ship loading facilities at the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery.

According to a source close to the project, the 13 prequalified engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firms have now been given until 3 March instead of the original 13 January deadline to submit their proposals.

The prequalified firms are:

• Consolidated Contractors Company (Athens-based)
• Daelim Industrial (South Korea)
• Daewoo (South Korea)
• Dodsal Engineering & Construction (India)
• GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Hanwa Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea)
• Petrofac (UK)
• Punj Lloyd (India)
• Saipem (Italy)
• Samsung Engineering (South Korea)
• SK Engineering & Construction (South Korea)

The same firms are also still waiting for the release of a related tender, for the rehabilitation the sulphur handling facility at the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery, located 45 kilometres south of Kuwait City.