Canada’s SNC Lavalin has won a contract to carry out front-end engineering and design (feed) work on the phase-two development of the Qusahwira oil field in Abu Dhabi.

The onshore field is being developed by Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (Adco) to add an additional 25,000 barrels a day (b/d) to the emirate’s oil output.

SNC Lavalin will carry out the study at its operations in Abu Dhabi, Mumbai and Toronto.

The Qusahwira field, part of Adco’s South East Asset, is located 260 kilometres south of Abu Dhabi and covers an area of 7,525 square kilometres.

MEED revealed in September last year that Adco plans to expand the Qusahwira field along with other fields in its South East Asset, including the Sahil and Mender fields.

Adco is expected to tender several engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) packages in 2014, with a total value of more than $1bn.

Adco is now 100 per cent owned by the state’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), after its long-term concession with five international oil companies (IOCs) expired in January.