State refiner Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) has extended the deadline for a deal to build new units as part of the planned $18bn Clean Fuels Project at the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery.

Proposals are now set to be submitted on 30 April, rather than the original 2 April deadline. KNPC plans to hold a second site visit to the refinery for the seven prequalified contractors.

These are:

• ABB (Switzerland)
• Daelim Industrial (South Korea)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• JGC Corporation (Japan)
• Larsen & Turbo (India)
• Petrofac (UK)
• Punj Lloyd (India)

The deal is separate to the three main packages for the Clean Fuels Project, which aims to increase processing capacity at the Mina al-Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries to 800,000 barrels a day (b/d) from 736,000 b/d. The older Shuaiba refinery will also be retired.

Estimated to be worth less than $200m, the deal covers the engineering, procurement, construction and commission (EPCC) of new units at the refinery, including a fluid catalytic converter and sour water treatment unit.