Two international contractors - Germany's Uhde and Italy's Tecnimont - are understood to have submitted commercial and technical offers for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build the 500,000 tonne-a-year (t/y) plant. At least three other companies were prequalified to bid for the estimated $400 million scheme, but heavy workloads and contractual obligations elsewhere saw the field reduced.

The scheme's front-end engineering and design (FEED) was carried out by Uhde. Europe's Basell is the licensed technology provider, while US-based Foster Wheeler is the project management consultant (PMC). ABN Amro with Saudi Hollandi Bank is the financial adviser (MEED 30:9:05; 16:9:05).

Technical bids were also submitted recently to Yansab for the benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) compound plant. Just two bidders are understood to have bid for the $300 million-400 million EPC contract. Prices will be opened in early March (MEED 13:6:05).