According to an executive at one of the companies competing for the deal, Qatargas received revised commercial bids for the work in July.

Qatargas had asked contractors to revise their prices in April, following a drop in materials costs since they were first submitted on 11 January.

The eight companies vying for the deal include France’s Technip; Australia’s WorleyParsons; the US’ Foster Wheeler; Spain’s TR; and Mott MacDonald, Penspen, Atkins and Petrofac, all of the UK.

QP has also asked five contracting groups to submit commercial bids on 18 October for a project to upgrade gas facilities at Dukhan and Mesaieed, with an award due by the end of 2009.

The contractors already submitted technical bids for the project in January.

The groups competing for the engineering, procurement and construction award are Technip, Petrofac, Italy’s Saipem, Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company with the US’ Black & Veatch, and India’s Larsen & Toubro with Argentina’s Tecna.

The contract includes an acid gas removal unit at the onshore Dukhan field.