Kuwait has invited local and international companies to bid by 8 August for an estimated $200m deal to upgrade its fire detections and prevention systems at its refineries.

Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) will hold a pre-tender meeting on 28 June at the Mina Abdullah refinery.

Contractors that have already prequalified include:

• SK Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Saipem (Italy)
• Petrofac International (UK)
• Technip (Italy)
• Larsen & Toubro (India)
• Kentz Overseas (Ireland)
• JGC Corporation (Japan)
• Hyundai Engineering Company (South Korea)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Fluor (US)
• Techint (Italy)
• Hanwha Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• ABB Process Solutions & Service (Switzerland-based)
• Sinopec Engineering (China)

The winning firm will renovate KNPC’s current system of fire detection, alarm and prevention at its refineries and local marketing sites and will dispose of its halon system.

The tender follows a number of fires at KNPC’s sites. Kuwait has a poor safety record for its hydrocarbons sector. In 2001, a massive explosion at the northern Rawdhatain oil field caused the state’s crude production capacity to drop by 250,000 barrels a day (MEED 5:6:08).

The most recent came on 1 June, when a fire broke out at the hydrogen unit, forcing KNPC to shut down one of its largest factories, the 260,000 barrel a day (b/d) Mina Abdullah refinery. According to state-run news agency Kuna, two workers were wounded.

Halon systems were designed to be used in settings in which fire suppression might be necessary, but avoiding damage to electronics and components. However, since the 1980s the gaseous fire suppressant, Halon 1301 has been regarded as an ozone depleting chemical and new production has been gradually phased out.