State-owned upstream operator Qatar Petroleum is preparing to invite contractors to bid on a contract to build the topsides of new oil platforms as part of its Bul Hanine oil field redevelopment project, according to an industry source.

Topsides are the oil rig facilities that sit above the surface of the sea and typically include processing facilities, utilities, living quarters and drilling equipment.

The contract for the subsea work on the oil rigs is expected to be tendered in a separate package.

The Bul Hanine redevelopment project is expected to see 10 existing wellhead platforms upgraded and 14 new platforms constructed.

It is hoped that the project will double the field’s current production rate from 40,000 to 95,000 barrels a day and extend the life of the field by over 25 years. 

The offshore portion of the Bul Hanine redevelopment project is expected to be worth $3.5bn.