Qatar Petroleum (QP) has floated a tender for a 36-kilometre pipeline that will complete the jet fuel transmission system from its Mesaieed refinery to the New Doha International Airport (NDIA) that is currently under construction.

The 16-inch pipeline will run from the refinery to the BSV-3 station close to the airport. From there, the jet fuel will be transported to the C-1 Station in the NDIA by a 16-inch pipeline already being built and stretching over 16.5km.

Technical and commercial bids will have to be submitted by 3 July. Sources expect a strong response from contractors, which will put pressure on margins.

The pipeline network will replace the system of supplying jet fuel to the current airport, which involves a 12-inch multi-product pipeline and transport by tankers to the fuelling stations.

The scope of the engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning (EPIC) contract includes booster pumps, transfer pumps, metering station, pigging facilities, instrumentation and control, telecommunication and cathodic protection.

The new pipeline system will be able to meet future demand for 1,000 cubic meters a hour, according to the front-end engineering and design (feed) contractor Tebodin.

The first phase of the NDIA will open in 2012. Once all three stages are complete, the airport will be will be able to accommodate 24 million passengers and 750,000 metric tonnes of cargo annually, according to the US’ Bechtel. It will be three times the size of the existing airport in Doha, which it will replace, and have six times the capacity.