Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company (Takreer) will delay the bidding process for its carbon black project in Ruwais after failing to secure all the licences needed for the technology and the plant processes.

The refiner needs to obtain a total of eight licences from technology providers. At least one of the licences is still outstanding with an agreement still a long way off, according to a source close to the project.

“That is a good reason for a delay, because even one [licence] is important for this project,” said a source at a prequalified engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor.

Licences have to be granted both for the technology involved in the plant and for the processes developed by providers and engineering firms. Technology providers include US-based Honeywell’s UOP subsidiary and US-based Foster Wheeler, the latter selected to deliver a delayed coker unit.

“The project will be delayed for a few months,” said a source at another prequalified company.

Technical bids were due to be submitted on 6 September, with commercial bids on 5 December (MEED 15:07:11). The carbon black plant is scheduled to come online at the end of 2013.

A total of 14 EPC companies have been prequalified to submit bids:

• Bechtel (US)
• CTCI (Taiwan)
• GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• JGC (Japan)
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan)
• Saipem (Italy) with Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain)
• Samsung Engineering (South Korea)
• SK Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Techint (Italy)
• Technip (France)
• Tecnimont (Italy)

Australia’s WorleyParsons is undertaking the front-end engineering and design (feed) work, Bechtel is the project manager.