MEED reported that Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company is expected to award the estimated USD 1.5 billion contract for early production facilities at the offshore Umm Lulu and Nasr fields by the end of January 2011.

Bids for engineering, procurement and construction deal at the fields were submitted on January 11th 2011, after being delayed three times from the original September 2010 deadline.

A source close to the project said that "Prices have been opened, but they are waiting for approval from ADNOC."

The bidders include:
1. National Petroleum Construction Company (local)
2. Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea)
3. Saipem (Italy)
4. Technip (France)
5. Larsen & Toubro (India)

Adma Opco ultimately wants to produce 100,000 barrels a day from Umm Lulu and 65,000 barrels a day from Nasr. The Nasr field will be developed in two phases producing 65,000 barrels a day by 2018. The first phase will produce 25,000 barrels a day by 2015. The new facilities will be linked to the existing production units at the adjacent Umm al Dalkh field.

Technip won the front end engineering and design contract for the first phase of development in August 2009. Australia’s Worley Parsons is the project manager for the deal.

Adma Opco is targeting 300,000 barrels a day of additional production from four new offshore fields; Ghasha Butini West Mubarraz, Umm Lulu, Nasr and Satah al Razboot, by 2014 as part of Abu Dhabi’s plan to increase production to 1.75 million barrels a day by 2020.

(Sourced from www.meed.com)