Related Articles

• 
  Riyadh seeks contractors for Expo 2030 buildings

  24 February 2026

  

   

  Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030 Riyadh Company (ERC), tasked with delivering the Expo 2030 Riyadh venue, has invited contractors to express their interest in a contract to deliver the first set of buildings at the site.

  The structures include several exhibition assets, an auditorium, food and beverage spaces, retail and other associated facilities.

  The buildings will be located on the main boulevard.

  Firms have been allowed until 26 February to express their interest in the contract.

  Tendering activity is gathering pace for several other packages that are part of the Expo 2030 masterplan. Earlier this month, MEED exclusively reported that ERC had tendered a contract for the construction of site offices required for the initial construction works.

  This followed the Royal Commission for Riyadh City issuing a design-and-build tender on 5 February for the construction of a new metro station serving the Expo 2030 site.

  The station will be located on Line 4 (Yellow Line) of the Riyadh Metro network.

  Construction work on the Expo 2030 Riyadh site is progressing at an accelerated pace. In January, ERC awarded an estimated SR1bn ($267m) contract to deliver the initial infrastructure works at the site.

  The contract was awarded to local firm Nesma & Partners.

  The scope of work covers about 50 kilometres of integrated infrastructure networks, including internal roads and essential utilities such as water, sewage, electrical and communication systems, and electric vehicle charging stations.

  Contractors are also bidding for infrastructure lots two and three. In December, MEED reported that ERC had floated another tender for the project’s initial infrastructure works.

  The masterplan encompasses an area of 6 square kilometres, making it one of the largest sites designated for a World Expo event. Situated to the north of the Saudi capital, the site will be located near the future King Salman International airport, providing direct access to landmarks within Riyadh.

  Countries participating in Expo 2030 Riyadh will have the option to construct permanent pavilions. This initiative is expected to create opportunities for business and investment growth in the region.

  The expo is forecast to attract more than 40 million visitors.

  In a statement, Saudi sovereign wealth vehicle the Public Investment Fund said: “During its construction phases, Expo 2030 Riyadh and its legacy are projected to contribute around $64bn to Saudi GDP and generate approximately 171,000 direct and indirect jobs. Once operational, it is expected to contribute approximately $5.6bn to GDP.”

  

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15741954/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Kuwait considers cancelling $988m upstream tender

  24 February 2026

  

   

  State-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) is discussing the potential cancellation of a contract worth nearly $1bn, according to industry sources.

  The contract is focused on developing Jurassic Light Oil (JLO) export facilities and upgrading the existing export network.

  India’s Larson & Toubro submitted a low bid of $988m for the contract in October last year.

  The two bids submitted for the contract were:

  • Larsen & Toubro (India): KD303.5m ($988m)
  • Petrofac (UK): KD310.6m ($1.01bn)

  The project was originally tendered in November 2024, with a bid deadline of 1 December the same year.

  The bid deadline was extended several times before bids were ultimately submitted.

  The client on the project is the state-owned upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC).

  One source said: “KOC has decided to let KPC take the decision, as it was launched as a KPC initiative project in 2019.

  “The KOC committee is waiting for KPC to schedule the meeting.”

  Another source said: “Everyone knows that this project is at risk of cancellation as the bids came in extremely high compared to the budget.

  “They came in at more than double the project’s proposed budget.”

  The latest discussions around the potential cancellation of the JLO contract come after four upstream contracts worth a total of $7.73bn were cancelled in January.

  The cancelled contracts were:

  • Separation Gathering Centre (SGC) 1 and Water Injection Plant (WIP) 1
    Low bidder: Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain) – $2.47bn
     
  • SGC 3 and WIP 3
    Low bidder: Larsen & Toubro (India) – $2.48bn
     
  • Effluent Water Disposal Plants (EWDP) 1 & 2 expansion project
    Low bidder: Larsen & Toubro (India) – $1.30bn
     
  • Installation of WIP 4
    Low bidder: Petrofac (UK) – $1.48bn

  All of the projects received low bids that exceeded their allotted budgets.

  In 2025, Kuwait recorded its highest total annual value for oil, gas and chemicals contract awards since 2017, according to data from regional project tracker MEED Projects.

  A total of 19 contract awards with a combined value of $1.9bn were awarded last year.

  This was more than four times the value of contract awards in the same sectors in 2024, when awards totalled just $436m.

  It was also above the $1.7bn peak recorded in 2021, but it remained well below the contract award values seen in 2014-17, when several large-scale, multibillion-dollar projects were awarded in the country.

  The surge in the value of contract awards in 2025 came after Kuwait’s emir indefinitely dissolved parliament and suspended some of the country’s constitutional articles in May 2024.

  Prior to the suspension of parliament, Kuwait suffered from very low levels of project awards for several years amid political gridlock and infighting between the cabinet and parliament.

  This meant that important decisions about projects could not be made, something that was seen as a major obstacle for the progression of strategic oil projects.

  

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15721142/main.png

  Wil Crisp
• 
  Contractors express interest in Bab gas cap main plant

  23 February 2026

  

   

  Contractors have expressed interest to Adnoc Gas in participating in the main tendering exercise for a project involving the development of infrastructure to process incremental gas output arising from the unlocking of gas caps at the Bab onshore hydrocarbons development in Abu Dhabi.

  As part of its 2030 upstream production increase goals, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc Group) is working to extract gas from four underdeveloped gas cap reservoirs at the Bab onshore field development – Thammama A, Thammama B, Thammama F and Thammama H. While the Thammama A, B and H reservoirs are estimated to collectively produce 1.45 billion cubic feet a day (cf/d) of gas, output from the Thammama F gas cap is expected to be at a rate of 396 million cf/d.

  Existing trains at the Habshan processing complex in Abu Dhabi will be unable to handle the new gas volumes. Therefore, Adnoc Gas needs to build new facilities to process an additional volume of up to 1.85 billion cf/d of raw gas when its parent company starts production from the Bab gas caps.

  To this end, Adnoc Gas is planning to build a gas processing plant in the Bab area, about 170 kilometres from Abu Dhabi, along with associated pipeline networks and other ancillary units, as part of the broader Bab gas cap development project. It has divided the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) scope of work on the project into four packages:

  • EPC package 1 – Main Bab gas cap plant
  • EPC package 2 – Early civil works
  • EPC package 3 – Pipelines
  • EPC package 4 – Non-process area works

  Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange-listed Adnoc Gas issued an expressions of interest (EoI) document to contractors for the main EPC tendering process for the main Bab gas cap plant on 10 February, setting an initial deadline of 17 February for submission of EoI responses, MEED recently reported.

  Adnoc Gas then extended the deadline for the submission of responses until 20 February, with contractors complying by that date, according to sources.

  The other three packages remain in the EoI and the main contract tendering stages, the sources said.

  Prior to issuing the EoIs for the Bab gas cap development project packages, Adnoc Gas completed an early engagement process with contractors in September and October last year, as MEED previously reported.

  In December last year, Adnoc Gas awarded the front-end engineering and design (feed) works for the Bab gas cap development project, which will increase its gas processing capacity by about 20%, to Australia-based consultancy Worley. The feed contract has a duration of more than 1.2 million man-hours, making it the largest-ever engineering job awarded by Adnoc Gas.

  Adnoc Gas currently has a capital expenditure (capex) commitment of $20bn for the 2023-29 period, which is on course to increase to about $28bn as the company strives to achieve financial investment decision (FID) on the second and third phases of its rich gas development programme in the first quarter of 2026.

  The second and third phases involve building a natural gas liquids fractionation train at the Ruwais gas processing facility and a new gas processing train at the Habshan complex, respectively, Peter Van Driel, the company’s chief financial officer, said recently on a call with journalists.

  Adnoc Gas’ capex commitment could exceed $30bn when the company is able to achieve FID on the Bab gas cap development project, which is currently expected to happen later this year, Van Driel further said.

  

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15717536/main3120.jpg

  Indrajit Sen
• 
  Arada awards $408m W Residences Dubai Harbour contract

  23 February 2026

  Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

  Sharjah-based real estate developer Arada has awarded a AED1.5bn ($408m) contract for the main construction works on its W Residences project at Dubai Harbour.

  The contract was awarded to the local Engineering Contracting Company.

  The development comprises 490 branded residences across three towers.

  The project's enabling works, including excavation and piling, have begun and are being carried out by another local firm, APCC Piling & Marine Contracting.

   Arada has awarded APCC a separate AED51m ($14m) contract to undertake the enabling works.

  The development will consist of residential, retail and leisure facilities and will be operated by US-based Marriott International.

  Arada launched the project in October 2024, as MEED reported.

  The latest contract award follows Arada's award of two contracts, worth AED2.7bn ($735m), for construction work on all four phases of the Masaar 2 residential community in the Rowdat district of Sharjah.

  Arada awarded Sharjah-based Intermass Contracting a contract for the construction of phases one, three and four.

  Abu Dhabi-based contractor Pivot Engineering & General Contracting won a contract to build the second phase of the project.

  The overall scheme encompasses the construction of 1,997 residential units across all four phases.

  Construction is expected to begin shortly, and the project is slated for completion by 2028.

  Arada is the developer behind three masterplanned residential communities in Sharjah. The Aljada, Masaar and Nasma Residences communities are valued at a combined AED33bn.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15717440/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Local contractor selected for Kuwait water project

  23 February 2026

  

   

  Local firm United Gulf Construction has been selected for a contract to upgrade the Hawally water distribution complex in Kuwait's Hawalli Governorate.

  The Ministry of Electricity, Water & Renewable Energy (MEWRE) has requested approval from the Central Agency for Public Tenders (Capt) to award the contract to the lowest bidder.

  The request was made at a meeting on 11 February, following completion of the project’s preliminary budget.

  According to regional project tracker MEED Projects, United Gulf Construction submitted the lowest of three bids for the contract in March 2025.

  These were:

  • United Gulf Construction – $137m
  • Khalid Ali Al-Kharafi & Brothers – $147m
  • Alghanim International General Trading & Contracting – $219m

  The project involves development of the existing water distribution complex in Hawalli. Works include construction of distribution facilities, valve chambers, thrust blocks, manholes and associated infrastructure.

  The scheme is intended to increase freshwater storage capacity by 66 million gallons a day. It will also raise potable water pumping capacity to 54.5 million gallons a day and brackish water pumping to 23.5 million gallons a day.

  The Hawally complex serves one of Kuwait’s most densely populated governorates. The upgrade is expected to address chronic low water pressure, particularly during peak summer demand, and ensure continuous supply.

  At the recent meeting, the MEWRE provided the required approval letter from the Finance Ministry, which is a legal prerequisite for tender decisions.

  Capt’s board instructed the MEWRE to select the lowest bidder and submit a final recommendation within 10 working days.

  Construction on the project is expected to start in September 2026 and take about two years to complete.

  

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15717372/main.jpg

  Mark Dowdall