Companies invited to prequalify are understood to include Germany's Pipeline Engineering (PLE), Canada's BC Gas International (BCGI), Gaz de France, Algeria's Sonatrachand Japan's Tokyo Gas Company. A contract award is expected in the third quarter. The contract includes the preparation of a detailed market study, engineering design and the supply and installation of a network analysis system. The successful bidder will also draw up tender documents for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) package.

The proposed grid will supply gas to industrial, commercial and residential customers in the emirate. The planned grid will cover Abu Dhabi City and surrounding areas, Al-Ain and Ruwais. The first construction will take place in Abu Dhabi City.

The network will be considerably larger than the Sharjah gas grid, which has been under construction since 1998. Two phases have already been completed on the Sharjah network, while work on phase 3 began last autumn. So far, over $100 million has been invested in the project.