Contractors have submitted bids for a major contract to develop the UAE’s offshore Umm al-Lulu field for operator Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (Adma-Opco).

Companies placed technical bids on the first package of the full field development project on 5 June after the deadline was extended several times from April, according to sources close to the bidding process.

The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, estimated to be worth about $500m, includes the construction of wellhead towers, pipelines and associated facilities. The deadline for commercial bids is now after Ramadan, which ends on 18 August.

Umm al-Lulu is one of two major offshore development projects tendered by Adma-Opco in 2012, with contractors also asked to bid for the third and fourth packages on the Satah al-Rasboot (Sarb) field.

The deadline for bids on the Sarb project has been delayed to 12 June from a previous deadline of 22 May, with commercial bids also expected to be submitted after Ramadan.