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• 
  Contractors submit bids for Safaniya offshore field expansion

  3 September 2025

  

  Contractors in Saudi Aramco’s pool of offshore engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) service providers have submitted bids for three tenders representing the next phase of infrastructure expansion at the Safaniya offshore oil field development in Saudi Arabia.

  The tenders are numbered 154, 155 and 156 on Aramco’s Contract Release and Purchase Order (CRPO) system.

  Offshore LTA contractors submitted bids for CRPOs 154, 155 and 156 by the deadline of 31 August, according to sources.

  The Saudi energy giant issued these CRPOs to its offshore LTA contractors in February, with an initial bid submission deadline of 31 July. Aramco later extended the deadline to 28 August, and then again to 31 August, sources told MEED.

  The brief scope of EPCI work on the three tenders is as follows:

  CRPO 154:

  EPCI of a water injection tie-in platform; two production deck modules (PDMs)/wellhead platforms; associated pipelines; hook-ups; and subsea valve skids

  CRPO 155:

  EPCI of four PDMs; intra-field and main trunklines to shore; and jackets

  CRPO 156:

  EPCI of a 48-inch trunkline covering a distance of 62 kilometres from the Safaniya offshore oil field to the onshore processing facility; plus hook-ups and associated structures.

  Aramco intends to award the EPCI contracts for CRPOs 154, 155 and 156 in January next year, as per sources.

  The oil giant's LTA pool of offshore service providers comprises the following entities:

  • Saipem (Italy)
  • McDermott International (US)
  • Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon (LTEH, India) / Subsea7 (UK)
  • NMDC Energy (UAE)
  • Lamprell (UAE/Saudi Arabia)
  • China Offshore Oil Engineering Company 
  • Dynamic Industries (US)
  • Sapura Energy (Malaysia)
  • TechnipFMC (France) / MMHE (Malaysia)
  • Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea)

  Aramco renewed its LTAs in April with the following contractors, whose contracts had either lapsed or were close to expiry:

  • Saipem
  • McDermott International
  • Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon / Subsea7
  • NMDC Energy
  • Lamprell
  • China Offshore Oil Engineering Company

  In addition to advancing the project to expand infrastructure at the Safaniya offshore oil field development, MEED recently reported that Aramco is also progressing with a separate project to build onshore surface facilities aimed at boosting the field’s productivity.

  Contractors have been given deadlines of 24 October and 7 November to submit technical and commercial bids for the Safaniya onshore surface facilities project.

  Offshore contract awards rebound

  Concerns had grown in Saudi Arabia’s offshore market as EPCI contract awards stalled earlier this year.

  Aramco spent a record $5bn on offshore EPCI contracts in 2024 and was expected to exceed that in 2025. However, it awarded no CRPOs in the first half of the year, fuelling concern among contractors and suppliers.

  In July, Aramco eased speculation by selecting contractors for five CRPOs – numbers 150, 157, 158, 159 and 160 – worth over $3bn. These involve EPCI work and infrastructure upgrades at the Abu Safah, Berri, Manifa, Marjan and Zuluf offshore fields.

  Furthermore, Aramco picked contractors for four more CRPOs that are part of a large-scale project to expand infrastructure at the Zuluf offshore field development. The tenders are CRPOs 145, 146, 147 and 148, and their combined value is estimated to be almost $6bn.

  With these contract awards, Aramco has almost doubled its capex on offshore projects this year compared to 2024, marking yet another year of robust upstream project spending.

  Looking ahead, Aramco is evaluating bids it has received for a total of seven key tenders in July and August.

  In addition to CRPOs 154, 155 and 156, those tenders are CRPO 161, which broadly covers the EPCI of four gas jackets at the Arabiyah, Hasbah and Karan fields, and CRPOs 162, 163 and 164, which relate to the EPCI of key infrastructure at the Abu Safah, Berri, Karan, Marjan and Safaniya fields.

  

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  Indrajit Sen
• 
  Saudi seeks contractors for $1.8bn Olympics-style stadium

  3 September 2025

  

  Saudi Arabia has started the procurement process for an estimated SR7bn ($1.8bn) contract to build the next major sporting destination in the kingdom.

  MEED understands that Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) has received the expression of interest notices from contractors to build what is referred to as the National Athletics Stadium.

  The client has scheduled further clarifications with prospective bidders in the coming weeks.

  The multipurpose stadium will be built over an area of about 182,000 square metres (sq m) and is benchmarked against the London Olympic Stadium designs.

  UK-based firm HOK is the project's lead design consultant. They are supported by Canadian engineering firm WSP and Germany's Schlaich Bergermann Partner.

  UK-headquartered WT Partnership is the project's cost consultant.

  The project is located within the Qiddiya Sports Park cluster and is expected to be completed by 2030.

  In December 2020, Saudi Arabia was selected to host the 2034 Asian Games. The twenty-second edition of the Asian Games will be held in Riyadh from 29 November to 14 December 2034.

  Saudi Arabia is also hosting the Asian Winter Games in 2029. In October 2022, the Trojena development at Neom in the northwest of Saudi Arabia was chosen to host the ninth Asian Winter Games in 2029.

  Qiddiya projects

  QIC is ramping up its construction efforts at the development. In October last year, MEED exclusively reported that QIC had started construction work on Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya City.

  A joint venture of FCC Construction and Nesma & Partners won the contract, which covers the construction of a multipurpose stadium on top of the 200-metre-high Tuwaiq cliff in the sports and entertainment district of Qiddiya City.

  QIC has also achieved key construction milestones on several schemes that are in the execution phase at the development.

  In an update on its website, QIC said that the overall construction works on the Six Flags Qiddiya City project have reached 89% completion, while the Aquarabia theme park is at 84% and the golf courses are at 77%.

  The construction of the development’s first bridge, which spans about 1 kilometre, has been completed.

  The Qiddiya entertainment city project is one of Saudi Arabia’s five official gigaprojects, covering 360 square kilometres.

  Contractors have also submitted bids for the contract to build the performing arts centre at Qiddiya Entertainment City.

  The centre will have over 3,000 seats across three theatres. It will also include a cantilevered amphitheatre overlooking Qiddiya City’s lower plateau, with a 500-seat venue suspended from above.

  The project is a key part of Riyadh’s strategy to boost leisure tourism in the kingdom. According to GlobalData, leisure tourism in Saudi Arabia has experienced significant growth in recent years.

  Domestic leisure tourism trips have increased to 33.76 million in 2023 from 16.74 million in 2018. International tourist arrivals for recreational purposes have increased by 600% from 2018 to 2023.

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  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  SSH to supervise Dubai Expo residences construction

  3 September 2025

  Dubai-based firm SSH has announced that it is working as the main works supervision consultant for the Sky Residences project in Expo City Dubai.

  The project is located on a plot adjacent to the Expo 2020 Dubai site.

  Main construction works are currently under way and are being carried out by local contractor Abr Al-Mutawassit Contracting Company.

  The development is expected to feature 419 residential units, ranging from one- to three-bedroom apartments.

  In addition to SSH, local firm DP Architects is acting as the design consultant for the project.

  Expo City Dubai launched its residential projects at the Expo 2020 site in March 2023. 

  These include Expo Central, comprising three clusters of buildings known as Mangrove Residences, Sidra Residences and Sky Residences. The villa community is named Expo Valley.

  Dubai announced in June 2022 that the expo site would be transitioned into a mixed-use district known as Expo City Dubai.

  Nearly 80% of the built assets are being retained, including landmarks such as Al-Wasl Plaza, the Garden in the Sky observation deck, the Surreal water feature, the Terra Sustainability Pavilion and the Mobility Pavilion.

  

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  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Oman offers four mining concessions to investors

  3 September 2025

  Oman’s Ministry of Energy & Minerals (MEMR) has offered four mining concessions in the sultanate to investors.

  Local and international mining firms have until 31 March next year to submit their applications for the four concession areas, the MEMR announced on its Taqa platform.

  Block 11D is spread across 1,084 square kilometres (sq km) in Al-Buraimi governorate, and is estimated to hold reserves of copper, gold, silver, chromite, basalt and gabbro.

  Block 14B covers 2,673 sq km in Al-Batinah South governorate, and is estimated to hold reserves of copper, gold, silver, chromite, basalt and gabbro.

  Block 22E is spread across 810 sq km in Al-Sharqiyah North governorate, and is estimated to hold reserves of copper, gold, silver, chromite, basalt and gabbro.

  Block 51H is the largest concession on offer, spanning 4,181 sq km in Al-Wusta governorate. The block is estimated to hold reserves of silica, salt and kaolin.

  The offering of the four concession areas comes within weeks of the MEMR awarding exploration rights for three mining concessions in the sultanate to two Omani firms, securing investments worth more than $500m in the process.

  ALSO READ: Oman invites miners to participate in new licensing round

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  Indrajit Sen
• 
  PetroChina issues tenders for Iraq oil projects

  3 September 2025

  PetroChina, the listed arm of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), has issued two oil project tenders in Iraq.

  The first is for the provision of engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) services for an operational hub for Missan Oil Company (MOC) at the Halfaya oil field. The deadline for submitting bids is 5 October.

  MOC is a state-owned oil and gas company located in Iraq’s Maysan governorate.

  The project will develop the Halfaya Oilfield Division Operations Centre, according to the tender documents. This hub is likely to play a key role in the field’s ongoing development.

  The second tender is for study services related to the development of green energy and natural gas utilisation facilities at the Halfaya field. The bid submission deadline for this tender is 30 September.

  In June last year, Iraq inaugurated a project to upgrade gas compression systems at the field.

  China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC), a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), was awarded the contract in January 2023 after nearly three years of negotiations.

  Commercial bid submission for the project originally took place in July 2020.

  The contract for the project was signed on 4 March 2023, using the EPCC model.

  Its scope focused on improving the gas compression system at the facilities known as Central Processing Facility (CPF) 1 and CPF 2.

  

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  Wil Crisp