15 firms to bid for refinery

Kuwait National Petroleum Co (KNPC) said yesterday it expected at least 15 companies to bid for the construction of its planned new 615,000 barrels per day Al-Zour refinery. The new refinery would be the biggest in the Middle East, exceeding the capacity of Saudi Arabia’s 550,000-barrels-per-day Ras Tanura complex. Kuwait cancelled a first tender competition for the plant in February after bids came in far above the budget. Oil Minister Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah said earlier in May the budget would now be doubled to $12 billion. Asaad Al-Saad, deputy managing director of KNPC’s Ahmadi refinery, told KUNA several big firms had indicated their interest in the project at a recent meeting. “A large number of companies which abstained from the previous competition are expected to bid,” he said.

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