The local Al-Suwaidi Industrial Services Companyin early November was awarded the estimated SR 25 million ($6.7 million) yield improvement contract involving modifications to the heavy fuel oil unit, improvements to the gas concentration unit and the installation of new boiler feed pumps.

Aramco is also pushing forward with the estimated $50 million sulphur recovery upgrade at the refinery. A number of international companies are understood to have expressed interest in the contract for which a job explanation and site visit was carried out on 7 January. The mid-February deadline for bids is expected to be postponed at the request of contractors. Another tender, for work on the refinery's crude heaters, is to be issued next month.