State-oil company Saudi Aramco has awarded South Korea’s SK Engineering & Construction the estimated SR1.9bn ($506m) contract to build the residential buildings at King Abdullah Petroleum Studies Research Centre (Kapsarc) in Riyadh.

Aramco received bids in late-March for the contract, which involves the construction of 188 villas, two apartment blocks, a clubhouse and associated infrastructure.

The other bidders were:

• Al-Yamama Company for Trading & Contracting (Saudi Arabia)
• Baytur Construction & Contracting Company (Turkey)
• Drake & Scull International (UAE)
• El-Seif Engineering & Contracting (Saudi Arabia)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• SK Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Saudi Oger (Saudi Arabia)
• Nesma & Partners Contracting Company (Saudi Arabia)

Kapsarc is located 8 kilometres south of King Khalid International Airport and was originally supposed to be tendered as a single contract. Aramco subsequently decided to split the contract into separate packages for the residential buildings and commercial buildings (MEED 24:12:09)

For the commercial buildings Aramco has invited contractors to submit bids bid by 9 August. The package involves the construction of the main buildings that includes basic retail facilities and a research centre, library and conference hall designed by London-based Zaha Hadid Architects.

The prospective bidders are:

• Nesma & Partners Contracting Company (Saudi Arabia)
• El-Seif Engineering & Contracting (Saudi Arabia)
• Saudi Oger (Saudi Arabia)
• SK Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Baytur Construction & Contracting Company (Turkey)
• Drake & Scull International (UAE)
• Al-Yamama Company for Trading & Contracting (Saudi Arabia)
• Daewoo Engineering & Construction Company (South Korea)
• Hanwha Saudi General Contracting Company (Saudi Arabia/South Korea)
• GS Construction (South Korea)
• Al-Muhaidib Trading & Contracting Establishment (Saudi Arabia)
• Bouygues (France)
• China State Construction Company (China)
• Posco Engineering & Construction Company (South Korea)

Saudi Aramco launched the Kapsarc project in March 2009 as part of a $60bn investment programme, which includes the development of offshore and onshore oil production facilities.