The contractors submitted prequalification applications on 29 December 2009 and are waiting for the Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company (Takreer) to grant bidding approval for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreement.

The successful bidder will construct 230 km of pipeline, which will link the Asab oil field with Takreer’s Ruwais refinery. The pipeline is part of the Inter-Refinery Pipelines Project.

Companies that have applied to bid for the contract include: French firm Technip, Italy’s Techint and Saipem, Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company, Dubai-based Dodsal, Indian company Larsen & Toubro, and South Korean Samsung Engineering.

Takreer is expected to send out a formal bidding invitation before the end of March 2010.