meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Doha’s Olympic dream

9 September 2025

Commentary
Colin Foreman
Editor

Read the September issue of MEED Business Review

Doha announced in late July that it will bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games. Hosting the world’s largest multi-sport event is a game-changing prospect for Qatar as its economy seeks a renewed sense of direction after hosting the Fifa World Cup in 2022.

While its economy has performed better than many expected, it has not maintained the vigour it enjoyed before the World Cup. 

This is most notable in the construction sector, where there was a significant drop off in activity as the World Cup infrastructure construction programme drew to a close.

Few new projects have moved forward over the past three years. 

The exception has been in the oil and gas sector. In October 2023, Qatar officially launched its $30bn North Field liquefied natural gas expansion project, which is being delivered with the engineering, procurement and construction of six large trains in two phases: North Field East and North Field South.

Hosting the world’s largest multi-sport event is a game-changing prospect for Qatar

In December 2020, Doha was selected to host the Asian Games in 2030. Having hosted the event in 2006, the selection has had little visible impact on the outlook for the Qatar economy. The Olympic Games, which is a much larger and international event, is a different proposition, with the potential to be a driving force for the economy for the next decade. 

There is one crucial difference between Qatar’s Olympic bid and its World Cup bid in 2010. For the Olympics, Qatar has said that 95% of the required infrastructure is in place. This aligns neatly with the International Olympic Committee’s New Norm policy to be more sustainable. But it also means that while a 2036 Olympics will be an economic stimulant for the Qatari economy, there are diminishing returns when it comes to multiple large-scale international events. 

READ THE SEPTEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

Doha’s Olympic bid; Kuwait’s progress on crucial reforms reinforces sentiment; Downstream petrochemicals investments take centre stage

Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the September 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14627709/main.gif
Colin Foreman

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Lowest bidder emerges for Jebel Ali reservoir project

    9 September 2025

    India’s Dineshchandra R. Agrawal Infracon has submitted the lowest bid for a tender to build a 45-million imperial gallon (MIG) reservoir at Jebel Ali.

    The firm submitted a main bid at AED197.1m ($53.7m), with an alternate offer of AED189.45m. The bidding deadline was 4 September.

    Most contractors submitted alternate bids, offering slightly different designs or methods that could reduce costs or speed up delivery.

    The project was tendered by Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) under reference number 2132500052. The contract calls for an 18-month completion schedule, including a reliability run.

    The bidders and their total prices are:

    • Dineshchandra R. Agrawal Infracon (India): AED 197.10m
    • AG Engineering and Power Contracting (UAE): AED 261.46m
    • Green Oasis General Contracting Company (UAE): AED 286.63m
    • Dhafir Technologies (UAE): AED 312.10m
    • United Engineering Construction (Unec) (UAE): AED 319.00m

    Alternate prices ranged from AED189.45m for Dineshchandra R. Agrawal, AED282.63m for Green Oasis, AED293.60m for Dhafir Technologies, to AED 312m for Unec.

    AG Engineering & Power Contracting only a submitted a main bid. Unlike the other bidders, Unec proposed a 24-month completion period.

    Several companies, including Binladin Contracting Group, GBH International Contracting and Oman International Telecommunication, submitted placeholder regret prices of AED0.01. 

    The Jebel Ali 45MIG reservoir is a mid-sized project within Dubai's broader water infrastructure development, larger than DEWA’s 30MIG Hatta reservoir but smaller than the 120MIG Enkhali reservoir, commissioned in 2024. 

    The contract will add significant storage capacity to Dubai’s water infrastructure, once awarded.

    All bidders provided bank guarantees and confirmed offers as definite.

     

     

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14631260/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Kuwait’s growth picture improves

    9 September 2025

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14626600/main.gif
    MEED Editorial
  • Bidders wait for Kuwait water project award

    9 September 2025

     

    Bidders are still waiting for the letter of contract award to be issued by Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water & Renewable Energy (MEW) for the planned water distribution complex project in Shuwaikh, according to industry sources.

    Bids were submitted in March this year, with Kuwait’s Khalid Ali Al-Kharafi & Brothers Company emerging as the lowest bidder.

    The full list of submitted bids was:

    • Khalid Ali Al-Kharafi & Brothers Company ($241.65m)
    • Alghanim International General Trading & Contracting Company ($258.9m)
    • Arab Contractors ($276.49m)
    • United Gulf Construction Company ($338.69m)

    Later, in July, bidders were asked to extend their bid bond warranty.

    It is not known why the contract for the project has not yet been officially awarded.

    The tender is a major project for the MEW. It is expected to increase the country’s water storage capacity by 71 million imperial gallons, while also boosting the daily pumping capacity of low-salinity water by 23 million gallons.

    The invitation to bid was originally issued in March 2023, and the bid submission deadline for the project was extended 18 times before bids were ultimately submitted earlier this year.

    MEED’s September 2025 report on Kuwait includes:

    > COMMENT: Kuwait’s political hiatus brings opportunity
    > GOVERNMENT: Kuwait looks to capitalise on consolidation of power
    > ECONOMY: Kuwait aims for investment to revive economy
    > BANKING: Change is coming for Kuwait’s banks
    > OIL & GAS: Kuwaiti oil activity rising after parliament suspension
    > POWER & WATER: Signs of project progress for Kuwait's power and water sector
    > CONSTRUCTION: Momentum builds in Kuwait construction
    > DATABANK: Kuwait’s growth picture improves

    To see previous reports on other countries, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14630519/main.png
    Wil Crisp
  • Aramco plans to execute 85 projects in next three years

    8 September 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Saudi Aramco plans to execute 85 projects over the next three years, most of which are currently in the planning phase.

    These new, expansion and upgrade projects span multiple business domains at Aramco – from core oil and gas production to pipeline networks and civil infrastructure – the company announced at the ongoing Future Projects Forum in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh.

    “Award of these projects will translate into hundreds of contract packages located within different regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Sara Alkhonaiz, contracts adviser at Aramco’s Project Management Office Department/Market Research Unit, said at the conference.

    In the oil, gas and petrochemicals sector, Aramco plans to execute 20 projects.

    Of these, 17 projects involve oil, gas and refining facilities – specifically upgrades to sulphur recovery units, gas field compression systems and refining units.

    Two major petrochemicals projects have been earmarked for development: the Sasref+ project, part of the large-scale liquids-to-chemicals programme, and an integrated refining and petrochemicals complex that Alkhonaiz did not elaborate on.

    In the offshore domain, Aramco has identified six major projects involving the expansion or upgrade of offshore oil and gas platforms, as well as maintaining offshore potential.

    Additionally, 12 projects are planned in the pipeline division “to support our operations and distribution network”, Alkhonaiz said. These involve upgrades to trunklines and flowlines, pipeline replacements and maintaining onshore potential.

    Separately, the Saudi energy giant intends to advance 53 projects across civil infrastructure, marine and other related business lines, she added. Of these, 15 projects cover infrastructure development, expansion of residential facilities and upgrades to utilities systems.

    Project procurement demand

    Executing these planned projects will generate significant demand for products, equipment and long-lead items, requiring Aramco to launch a large-scale procurement drive, Alkhonaiz said.

    Materials required for these projects include:

    • 21,000 kilometres of carbon steel pipes
    • 2.2 million tonnes of structural steel
    • 41,000km of cables
    • 1,700km of transmission lines
    • 6,000 transformers
    • 24,000 switchgears
    • 113 million cubic metres of fill and compact
    • 3.3 million cubic metres of concrete

    Aramco had earlier announced a capital investment guidance in the range of $52bn to $58bn for 2025, excluding around $4bn of project financing.

    The state enterprise’s capital expenditure (capex) for Q2 2025 stood at $12.3bn –  a marginal year-on-year increase of 1.46%. For the first half of the year, the firm recorded capex of $24.85bn – a 9.5% increase compared to the same period last year.

    “We continue to invest in various initiatives, such as new energies and digital innovation with a focus on AI – aiming to leverage our scale, low cost and technological advancements for long-term success,” said Amin Nasser, Aramco’s president and CEO, in comments on the company’s second-quarter and first-half financial results.

    READ THE SEPTEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Doha’s Olympic bid; Kuwait’s progress on crucial reforms reinforces sentiment; Downstream petrochemicals investments take centre stage

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the September 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14625866/main.jpeg
    Edward James
  • Ewec receives bids for 2.5GW Taweelah C IPP

    8 September 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) has received three proposals for the development of the Taweelah C independent power producer (IPP) project in Abu Dhabi.

    The plant will have a capacity of 2.5GW and is scheduled to begin commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2028.

    The carbon-capture-ready combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) facility will be located at the Al-Taweelah power and desalination complex, about 50 kilometres northeast of Abu Dhabi city.

    Three consortiums submitted bids:

    • Al-Jomaih Energy & Water Company / Sembcorp Industries
    • Sumitomo Corporation / Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation / Korean Midland Power
    • Korea Western Power Company / Etihad Water & Electricity / Kyuden International

    Bid prices were not disclosed. However, Mohamed Al-Marzooqi, chief asset development and management officer at Ewec, described them as “competitive”.

    The bids will make Taweelah C “one of the lowest tariff CCGT projects in the region”, he said.

    Taweelah C is part of Ewec’s wider programme to support the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035.

    Ewec plans to raise solar power capacity to 18GW and wind capacity to 2.6GW by 2035, while reducing the carbon intensity of its power generation by more than half compared to 2019.

    Ewec is also expanding its low-carbon water desalination capacity, with the Taweelah reverse osmosis (RO) plant already operating as the world’s largest RO facility and additional projects, such as Mirfa 2 RO and Shuweihat 4 RO, under way.

    By 2030, the company expects 95% of Abu Dhabi’s installed water capacity to come from RO technology.

    The Taweelah C IPP is designed to provide transitional generation capacity to enable large-scale renewable integration while maintaining system stability.

    The project is expected to be awarded and the power purchase agreement signed in the fourth quarter of 2025.

    READ THE SEPTEMBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Doha’s Olympic bid; Kuwait’s progress on crucial reforms reinforces sentiment; Downstream petrochemicals investments take centre stage

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the September 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14625382/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall