Libya’s Arabian Gulf Oil Company (Agoco) has invited firms to prequalify for a deal to carry out engineering studies for the use of solar energy at its oil fields.

The studies will explore the possibility of using solar energy technology in at least three of Agoco’s fields for power generation, or to produce stream for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

Firms have until 12 May to submit their prequalification documents. Once a scheme is selected, the firm will then develop an engineering package for the construction tenders.

Agoco is a subsidiary of state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC). It is the operator of the Hamada and Al-Hamra fields in the Ghadames basin, as well as the Sarir, Nafoora and Messla fields in the central Sirte basin, producing around 425,000 b/d before the conflict.

The Middle East’s first EOR project using solar steam generators started up at the end of 2012. A pilot plant, built by California-based GlassPoint Solar was built for Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) at the Amal field. The 7-megawatt plant has the capacity to produce 11 tonnes a hour of steam which is fed directly into PDO’s steam network for EOR.