Nineteen companies have been shortlisted to bid for one or more packages on the engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning (EPIC) scheme. The list is now awaiting final approval by an IOOC internal committee before tender documents for all three packages are issued. Bidders will then have two-three months to submit their bids.

Prequalifiers are understood to include Iranian Offshore Engineering & Construction (IOEC), Oil Industries Engineering & Construction (OIEC)and Sadra, all local, Gulf Marine Maintenance & Offshore Service Company (GMMOS)of the UAE and Malaysia's SSE. International companies will be required to bid in partnership with local firms.

IOOC says 11 companies are prequalified to bid for package 1, covering substructures and conductors. Nine companies are eligible to bid for package 2, which calls for the supply of topsides and bridges, while seven companies are shortlisted for package 3, comprising pipelines and sub-sea cables.

The project aims to boost capacity at Reshadat to 80,000 barrels a day (b/d) by 2006 from 3,000 b/d. Reshadat and the neighbouring Resalat and Salman oil fields were severely damaged during the 1980-88 Gulf war.