SAUDI Aramco is to issue tenders for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts at its Ras Tanura oil refinery’s clean fuels and aromatics project in the Eastern Province in March 2013.

This was initially expected in 2012, but due to an extended front-end engineering and design (Feed) phase, the tender was extended. This is to be one of the largest 2013 downstream tenders in the kingdom and many contractors want to be involved.

Jacobs Engineering of the US is doing the Feed. While the original scope amounted to about 400,000 man-hours in total, the figure was raised considerably, causing the delay. The initial budget of about $2 billion is reach to $3 billion as a result.

The EPC contracts will include carrying out Feed services for the internal and external battery limits, modifications to the refinery to bring it in line with new environmental regulations, an aromatics cracker to be added will allow for a far greater diversity of products being manufactured at the plant.

The pre-qualified contractors include Chiyoda Corp and KGC Corp of Japan; Daelim Industrial , GS Engineering and Construction, Hyundai Engineering & Construction , Samsung Engineering and SK Engineering & Construction of South Korea; Petrofac of the UK; Saipem of Italy, Sinopec of China, Technip of France and Tecnicas Reunidas of Spain.