Jordan’s Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources has released the tender for the construction of the Aqaba Oil Terminal, which will part of the new port being built in the city.

A total of 13 contractors have been prequalified for the project and the bid submission date is 8 November.

“The tender has been released and the prequalified contractors are formulating bids,” says a Jordan-based oil industry executive. “The bid submission date may be extended because some of the contractors have been asking for more time to put their bids together.”

The source adds that an award will be made in early 2013 and completion of the scheme is expected for late 2014. The budget for the project has not been set, but is expected to be in excess of $100m.  

The scope of works for the project includes constructing six steel tanks with a capacity of 120,000 cubic metres, which will be used for storing imported crude oil and refined products. A booster station will also be constructed as well as a 28-inch steel pipeline. Utilities, fire fighting and electrical power systems as well as roads, offices and a control room is also included in the project.

The prequalified contractors for the terminal are:

• China Dalian International Coop Group (China)
• China National Petroleum Corporation (China)
• Drake & Scull and Essar Projects (UK/India)
• Engineering for the Petroleum & Process Industries (Enppi) and Orascom Construction (Egypt)
• Entrepose Contracting (France)
• Habtoor Leighton Group (UAE/Australia)
• IOT Infrastructure & Energy Services (India)  
• J&P Avax (Romania)
• Lotte Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• OHL Industrial Industries (Spain)
• Petrojet (Egypt)
• Polimex Cekop Engineering & Construction (Poland)
• Ssangyong and Kolon Engineering and Construction (South Korea)

Jordan has to rely almost entirely on imports of oil and refined products. According to government statistics, buying crude oil, gas and refined products accounts for 31.8 per cent of the kingdom’s total purchases.