A consortium of South Korea’s GS Engineering & Construction (E&C) and the UAE-based Dodsal has emerged as the frontrunner for the phase 3 development of Abu Dhabi’s onshore Rumaitha and Shanayel oil fields, according to sources close to the bidding process.

Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) proposals were submitted to project operator Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (Adco) for the $1bn-plus scheme on 19 November.

Although several sources believe the group is the low bidder, Adco is not expected to award the EPC contract until later in the first quarter of 2014.

Companies submitting commercial proposals include:

• Daelim (South Korea)
• GS E&C/Dodsal
• Hyundai E&C (South Korea)
• Petrofac (UK-listed)
• Saipem (Italy)
• SK E&C (South Korea)
• Technip (France)
• Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)

Technical bids were submitted for the package in October.

The Adco joint venture, which has been operating Abu Dhabi’s onshore fields for three decades, officially expired on 11 January, with state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) taking 100 per cent control of the assets.

The Rumaitha and Shanayel fields form part of the emirate’s North East Bab asset, which is located 31 kilometres from Abu Dhabi city and includes the Al-Dabbiya field.

North East Bab has the capacity to produce about 110,000 barrels a day (b/d) – about 8 per cent of Adnoc’s total onshore production – and this capacity is due to be doubled after the third-phase expansion project’s completion.

The scheme’s front-end engineering & design (feed) was carried out by France’s Technip, with UK-based Mott MacDonald hired as the project management consultant (PMC).

Adnoc is currently assessing bids for the feed contract on the third-phase expansion of the Al-Dabbiya field.