Oman is preparing to tender the main packages on its $1bn Rabab Harweel Integrated Project (RHIP), which is planned to help offset the natural decline of the sultanate’s oil fields.

Project owner, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), is planning to tender the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the off plot construction services by the end of September, with the package for on plot works also likely to be tendered.

The company expects to award the off plot contract in the third quarter of 2014 after receiving EPC bids from international contractors. The oil field is located in PDO’s Block 6 concession in onshore central Oman.

PDO is planning three major onshore oil projects – RHIP, Yibal Khuff and Budour – to maintain the company’s capacity at about 550,000 barrels a day (b/d).

The projects will implement enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques including steam injection, chemical injection and sour gas injection.

The early works package on Yibal Khuff is expected to be tendered in the first quarter of 2014.

PDO, a joint venture of the Omani government, UK/Dutch Shell group, France’s Total and Portugal-based Partex, produces 550,000 b/d out of Oman’s total crude output of about 900,000 b/d.