Aramco awards pair of key offshore contracts

10 July 2023

Register for MEED's guest programme 

Saudi Aramco has awarded UAE-headquartered Lamprell two key contracts for engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of several structures at the Abu Safah and Marjan offshore oil fields in Saudi Arabia.

Lamprell has been awarded Contract Release and Purchase Order (CRPO) numbers 125 and 126, according to sources.

The combined value of CRPOs 125 and 126 is estimated to be “upwards” of $400m, sources told MEED.

The letter of award for these two tenders was issued to Lamprell by Aramco “in late June”, the sources added.

Abu Safah and Marjan works

The scope of works on CRPO 125 covers EPCI of the following structures:

  • Three offshore jackets
  • Three production deck modules
  • Two 12-inch pipelines stretching 3 kilometres and 1.7km
  • Two 13.8kv subsea power cables covering distances of 7.5km and 3km.

Contractors in Aramco’s Long-Term Agreement (LTA) pool of offshore service providers submitted bids for CRPO 125 by the deadline of 16 January.

The scope of work on CRPO 126 involves EPCI of the following structures at the Marjan hydrocarbons field development:

  • One gas lift production deck module
  • Four jackets
  • A 16-inch subsea pipeline running 6.5km
  • 15kv subsea cables covering 6.5km

Offshore LTA contractors submitted bids for CRPO 126 by 9 April, MEED previously reported.

Robust offshore spending

Most of the kingdom’s oil and gas production comes from offshore hydrocarbon resources in fields including Abu Safah, Arabiyah, Hasbah, Berri, Karan, Manifa, Marjan, Ribyan, Safaniya and Zuluf.

It is crucial for Aramco to maintain and gradually increase productivity from these fields, some of which are mature.

To that end, the state enterprise is poised to award several billions of dollars of offshore EPCI deals to entities in its LTA pool of offshore contractors by the end of this year.

With the latest award of CRPOs 125 and 126 to Lamprell, Aramco’s spending on offshore projects so far this year is estimated to have exceeded $3bn.

A consortium of Indian contractor Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon (LTEH) and UK-based Subsea7 has won six offshore EPCI contracts from Saudi Aramco, estimated to be worth nearly $2bn.

LTEH/Subsea7 won CRPOs 98, 120 and 121, which cover EPCI work on Saudi Arabia’s Zuluf, Hasbah and Manifa offshore oil and gas fields. The combined value of the three CRPOs, awarded to the consortium in March, is estimated to be $1bn.

In April, LTEH/Subsea7 won CRPOs 117, 118 and 119, which cover EPCI work on Saudi Arabia’s Marjan offshore oil and gas field development. The three tenders are thought to be worth over $900m.

Italian contractor Saipem confirmed in early April that it had won CRPO 96, estimated to have a value of $120m. The scope of work on the tender covers the EPCI of one platform topside and the associated subsea flexible, umbilical and cable systems at the Abu Safah and Safaniya fields.

Also in April, China Offshore Oil Engineering Company (COOEC) won the CRPO 122 contract, estimated to be worth $255m, covering the installation of 13 jackets at the Safaniya field. COOEC confirmed the award of CRPO 122 this week.

More recently, in May MEED reported that Aramco was closing in on awarding main contracts for at least five major CRPO tenders, and notifying contractors about their selection.

The following LTA contractors are in line to win the CRPOs in question, according to sources:

  • CRPO 97 – National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC) (UAE)
  • CRPO 99 – McDermott (US)
  • CRPO 100 – McDermott (US)
  • CRPO 101 – McDermott (US)
  • CRPO 124 – Saipem (Italy)

In late June, Saipem confirmed winning CRPO 124, although the Italian contractor did not reveal the value of its contract.

CRPO 124 represents the third phase of gas development at the Marjan offshore hydrocarbons field. Its scope of work entails the following:

  • EPCI of five standardised, simplified and SIMOPS-capable (SSS) gas lift platforms
  • Demolition of existing structures
  • Five production deck modules
  • Upgrade of TP 7 at gas oil separation plant (GOSP) 4
  • Subsea flowlines of 4 and 6-inches covering a distance of 23km
  • Subsea cables spanning 17km
  • Fibre optic cables spread across 6km

The two other contractors – McDermott and NPCC – are yet to confirm their contract awards.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/10994344/main2028.jpg
Indrajit Sen
Related Articles
  • Egypt approves plans for 869MW wind power plant

    22 June 2026

    Egypt’s Cabinet has approved plans for French renewable energy developer Voltalia to develop an 869MW wind power project.

    The scheme will be built on land allocated by the New & Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), according to a statement posted by the Cabinet following its most recent weekly meeting.

    Voltalia will make an initial investment of $53m and has committed to achieving commercial operations by December 2028.

    Voltalia already operates the 32MW Ra solar plant at the Benban solar complex in Aswan and is expanding its renewable energy portfolio in Egypt.

    Previously, in 2024, it signed a framework agreement with Egypt’s Taqa Arabia to develop a green hydrogen and renewable power cluster near the Ain Sokhna port in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

    The green hydrogen development is planned in two phases, each centred on a 500MW electrolyser powered by more than 1.3GW of renewable generation capacity. The project, still in its early stages, is expected to produce up to 350,000 tonnes of green ammonia a year.

    Voltalia’s partnership with Taqa Arabia also includes plans for a 3.2GW hybrid wind and solar project to repower the existing 545MW Zafarana wind farm in Suez Governorate. The Cabinet statement did not indicate whether the newly approved 869MW wind project forms part of that proposal.

    Meanwhile, the developer won another contract, earlier this year, to develop a 132MW solar power project in Tunisia’s Gabes region.

    The project, known as Wadi, marked Voltalia’s third major solar award in the country after the Sagdoud and Menzel Habib projects awarded in 2024.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17376730/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Local firm signs Jeddah drainage contracts

    22 June 2026

    Local contractor Alkhorayef Water & Power Technologies (AWPT) has announced it has signed two contracts with Jeddah Municipality to operate and maintain stormwater and surface water drainage networks across the city.

    The contracts have a combined value of SR202.06m ($53.9m), and each will run for five years.

    The first contract, valued at SR108.46m ($28.9m), covers the operation and cleaning of stormwater and surface water networks in the South and Al-Malisa sub-municipalities.

    The second contract, worth SR93.59m ($25m), covers similar services for the Airport Sub-Municipality.

    In March, MEED reported that the firm had won a long-term contract to carry out work in the airport’s sub-municipality area. The agreement was signed on 16 June.

    Elsewhere, construction has yet to begin on phases one and two of the King Abdullah Road-Falasteen Road tunnel project, each valued at about $175m.

    According to sources, Jeddah Municipality selected Saudi contractor Thrustboring Construction Company to build the large-diameter stormwater drainage tunnels in 2025. However, an official agreement has yet to be signed.

    The municipality was also previously planning to rehabilitate the existing Al-Zahra pumping station. Prequalification for the project began in 2020; however, it is understood that the main contact tender was cancelled last year.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17376097/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Saudi firm signs Uzbekistan water treatment PPP

    22 June 2026

    Saudi-listed Miahona has signed a public-private partnership agreement to enhance, operate and maintain Uzbekistan’s Zomin water treatment plant in the country’s Jizzakh region.

    The agreement was signed on 18 June with Uzsuvtaminot, the country’s state-owned water utility, the developer said in a filing with the Saudi stock exchange.

    Miahona will carry out enhancement works and 25 years of operation and maintenance services for the existing plant, which has a design treatment capacity of 50,000 cubic metres a day

    The contract marks the company’s entry into Uzbekistan’s water sector. According to the disclosure, it will enter into force once a project-related governmental decree is issued in accordance with Uzbekistan’s applicable legislation.

    The contract is estimated at $105m (SR395m), with a final value to be confirmed following the issuance of the governmental decree.

    MEED reported earlier this month that Uzbekistan had stepped up its engagement with Middle Eastern investors, including holding talks with Saudi Arabia’s Acwa and Vision Invest on renewable energy, water management, waste recycling, digital infrastructure and urban utility projects.

    The government also recently held discussions with a UAE delegation led by Suhail Mohamed Al-Mazrouei, minister of energy and infrastructure and chairman of Etihad Water & Electricity’s Board of Directors.

    At the Tashkent International Investment Forum, it signed a €197m financing package with Germany’s KfW Development Bank to support drinking water supply and wastewater projects in the Surkhandarya and Fergana regions.

    The projects will cover Termez and several district centres in Surkhandarya region, as well as Kokand and Margilan in Fergana region.

    This includes “the construction and reconstruction of hundreds of kilometres of drinking water and wastewater networks, pumping stations and modern wastewater treatment facilities”, deputy prime minister Jamshid Khodjaev said.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17375811/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Qiddiya seeks contractors for indoor arena project

    22 June 2026

     

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Saudi Arabian gigaproject developer Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) has invited contractors to prequalify for a contract to build an indoor sports arena within its Qiddiya entertainment city project.

    The invitation was issued on 21 May, with a submission deadline of 28 June.

    The multipurpose arena is designed to International Olympic Committee standards.

    It will be located in District 18, in the Uptown South area of Qiddiya.

    Once completed, the indoor arena will be capable of hosting a wide range of sports, cultural and entertainment events.

    The arena will feature numerous sports courts for basketball, handball, futsal, volleyball, tennis, boxing and gymnastics.

    It will have a seating capacity of 18,000 spectators.

    The project is scheduled for completion by 2030.

    QIC’s other major projects include an e-sports arena, the National Tennis Centre, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, a motorsports track, a racecourse, the Dragon Ball and Six Flags theme parks, and Aquarabia.

    QIC opened the Six Flags theme park to the public in December last year.

    The park covers 320,000 square metres and features 28 rides and attractions, including 10 thrill rides and 18 aimed at families and young children.

    The Qiddiya project is a key part of Riyadh’s strategy to boost leisure tourism in the kingdom.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17375504/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Egypt signs gas deal with Harbour Energy

    22 June 2026

    Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources has signed a new agreement with London-headquartered Harbour Energy.

    Under the scope of the agreement, Harbour Energy will drill two new exploration wells and carry out maintenance work for one of the existing wells within the Dsouq-1 development contract.

    Harbour Energy committed an initial $6m investment and a $1m signing bonus for the Dsouq concession. Total investment could rise to $18m if commercial discoveries are made.

    The signing was witnessed by Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum, Karim Badawi.

    He said that his ministry is continuing to implement a package of investment measures and incentives aimed at encouraging partners to increase investments and intensify exploration, development and production activities.

    The agreement was signed by Syed Saleem, a member of the executive branch of the state-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), and Samah Sabry, the executive director of Harbour Energy for the Middle East and North Africa region.

    Harbour Energy drilled two new wells in Egypt during the fiscal year 2025/2026, resulting in the addition of reserves estimated at 35 billion cubic feet of gas.

    The company aims to drill three new exploration wells during the fiscal year 2026/2027.

    Egypt is currently pushing to boost the production of both oil and gas in its territory.

    Earlier this month, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources announced that it had fully settled all outstanding arrears owed to oil and gas companies.

    Two years ago, in June 2024, the country owed approximately $6.1bn to partners in the oil and gas sector.


    READ THE JUNE 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    GCC looks beyond the Strait; Iraq’s reform window narrows as fiscal assumptions shatter; MEED Top 100 companies.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the June 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17374536/main4731.jpg
    Wil Crisp