About 15 companies are prequalified for the contract, for which a bid meeting was due to be held on 8 December. Prequalifiers include Kellogg Brown & Root, Foster Wheelerand Baker Energy, all US-based; Kharafi Nationalof Kuwait; the UK's Wood Group; Saudi Arabia's AYTB; Sharjah-based Petrofac International; and Black Cat, Trags, Petroserv, Dopet, Qatar Kentzand Brunel Energy Qatar, all Doha-based.

Once technical bids have been received, RasGas is expected to shortlist companies to submit commercial bids. The contract's start date is early April. The majority of the maintenance work will be at RasGas' liquefaction plant, where the company has previously employed a number of contractors to undertake maintenance.