Saudi Aramco has released three new tenders for seismic contracts for carrying out geophysical studies in the kingdom.

The three tenders were released on 1 June and are some of the largest onshore seismic surveys tendered by the company. Each contract will run for four years with the option to extend for a further two years.

“The tenders are out now and interested parties are formulating bids that are to be submitted by the July,” says a source familiar with the deals. “Then a quick decision is expected [by Aramco] with the winning bidders being informed by the end of August.”

The contracts will cover thousands of square kilometres of Saudi Arabia and run from the Empty Quarter in the south of the kingdom right up to the Iraq border in the north.

“These are big contracts and potentially six years of work is available,” the source says. “This will attract a lot of interest with geophysical companies working in the kingdom.”

Geophysical surveying companies interested in bidding for the work include:

• Arabian Geophysical & Surveying Company (Local/France)
• BGP Arabia (Local/Chinese)
• Saudi Geophysical (Local)
• Western Geophysical Company (US)

The news of the tenders comes in the same week that BGP Arabia has completed a four-year, 2D seismic acquisition contract for Saudi Aramco in the kingdom.