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Firms prepare bids for NWC sewage treatment package 14 Administrator4 September 2026
At least three contractors are preparing to make offers for package 14 of Saudi Arabia’s long-term operations and maintenance (LTOM) sewage treatment programme, according to sources.
Known as Eastern A Cluster (LTOM14), the package was tendered by the state-owned National Water Company (NWC) in April, with a bid submission deadline of 30 September.
The contract covers the upgrade of six existing sewage treatment plants (STPs), with a capacity expansion of 30,000 cubic metres a day (cm/d) at the Al-Jarodia STP.
This will increase total treatment capacity from about 263,000 cm/d to approximately 293,000 cm/d, with an estimated cost of $180m.
According to sources, the firms preparing to submit bids include:
- Alkhorayef Water & Power Technologies (Saudi Arabia)
- Civil Works Company (Saudi Arabia)
- Miahona (Saudi Arabia)
The latest phase follows the formal signing of a $347m contract between NWC and a Saudi-Chinese consortium for Northern Cluster Sewage Treatment Plants Package 10 (LTOM10) on 2 September.
The same consortium led by United Water (China) is not planning to bid for LTOM14 and is expected to formally sign a contract for LTOM11 in the coming months, a source said.
In April, MEED exclusively reported that the group had won the contract for package 11, which will have a combined capacity of about 440,000 cm/d.
It is also understood that Beijing Enterprises, a bidder for North Western B Cluster (LTOM12), is not preparing to bid for package 14.
In the meantime, the contract for LTOM12 is moving towards award, with bids currently under evaluation.
The contract covers the construction and upgrade of seven STPs with a combined capacity of about 162,000 cm/d. As previously reported, NWC opened financial bids for the project in April.
Future phases
In total, the LTOM programme comprises 19 packages split into two phases. In May 2024, NWC announced it had awarded $2.5bn-worth of contracts in the first phase. Phase two of the programme includes 10 packages covering 117 treatment plants.
In April, MEED exclusively reported that NWC had held several discussions regarding changes in scope details and potential expansions to upcoming projects. This involved “grouping some upcoming projects”.
The request for proposals for LTOM13 was subsequently put on hold and it is now understood that this tender has likely been merged with other packages in the programme.
According to a source, Eastern B Cluster (LTOM15) has also been cancelled and has likely been merged. LTOM15 had comprised two STPs with a total capacity of 152,000 cm/d.
The next contract to be tendered will be Central Cluster (LTOM16), potentially in November, a source added.
Under the original scope, LTOM16 covers the construction of 14 STPs with a total capacity of 153,000 cm/d.
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Egyptian contractor wins Abu Dhabi Ramhan Island deal Administrator4 September 2026
Egypt-headquartered contractor Rowad Modern Engineering has been awarded the main works contract for the Marina Apartments project on Ramhan Island, Abu Dhabi.
The contract was awarded by the local firm Eagle Hills, which is led by Mohamed Alabbar, the founder and chairman of Emaar Properties.
Rowad’s scope includes structural and architectural works, finishing, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
The company will also deliver infrastructure works, including utility connections to external networks, testing and commissioning.
The development comprises two residential towers offering 187 residential units.
The works will be carried out under the consultancy supervision of local engineering firm Mirage Leisure & Development.
The latest contract award follows Eagle Hills awarding the local firm Arabian Construction Company (ACC) an estimated AED2.5bn ($680m) construction contract to build about 500 villas at the Ramhan Island development, as reported by MEED previously.
Located off the coast of Abu Dhabi, the Ramhan Island development spans an area of over 4 million square metres.
The overall development includes the construction of 1,800 villas, 900 residences, a hotel and retail facilities.
Mohamed Alabbar launched the Ramhan Island development in May 2024.
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Dubai sets deadline for Jebel Ali waste-to-energy PPP Administrator4 September 2026
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Dubai Municipality has set a 27 September deadline for developers to submit expressions of interest (EOIs) for its planned Jebel Ali waste-to-energy (WTE) public-private partnership (PPP), according to a source.
The greenfield facility is planned to treat up to 6,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste a day.
The municipality is seeking international and local developers to develop, finance and operate the facility. It is planning to prequalify developers later this year before issuing a request for proposals (RFP) in the first quarter of next year, a source said.
The Jebel Ali facility is intended to support Dubai’s waste-management strategy and its target of reducing reliance on landfill.
Dubai Municipality is being advised by a team led by Abu Dhabi’s Tribe Infrastructure Group, with UK-headquartered Ashurst and Germany’s Fichtner also involved.
It was confirmed to MEED that the project is separate from the planned second phase of the Warsan WTE facility, for which Dubai Municipality issued a consultancy tender in February.
That facility will be located in Warsan 2, next to the Al-Aweer sewage treatment plant. The expansion is expected to increase waste-conversion capacity at the existing Warsan site with an estimated budget of $500m. The consultancy contract has a duration of six years.
The original Warsan WTE plant, Dubai’s first major WTE public-private partnership (PPP) project, reached full commercial operations in 2024.
Located in the Warsan area, the AED4bn ($1.1bn) facility treats 1.9 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, generating up to 220MW of thermal energy that is fed into the local grid.
In February 2023, state utility Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) and Dubai Waste Management Company signed the power-purchase agreement (PPA) for the project.
Dubai Waste Management Company, the special-purpose vehicle implementing the scheme, reached financial close in June 2021 for the project.
The Warsan project was developed under a 35-year PPP concession by a consortium comprising Dubai Holding, Dubai Aluminium, Tech Group and Itochu Corporation.
The main contractor was a joint venture of Belgium’s Besix Group and Hitachi Zosen Inova of Switzerland.
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Egypt to invest $4.5bn in refinery upgrades Administrator4 September 2026
Egypt is planning to invest $4.5bn in refinery upgrades, according to the country’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi.
Egyptian refineries are operating at 80% of capacity compared with 66% two years ago, according to Badawi, who wants further increases in utilisation of existing facilities.
“We aim to invest around $4.5bn to develop existing refineries and build new units to reduce imports and achieve self-sufficiency in refined products,” he said in a statement.
In May, Egypt said that it had increased its fuel import budget by almost 40% for the 2026-27 fiscal year amid higher global prices driven by the Iran war, which started when the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on 28 February.
Brent crude prices are up about a third since the conflict started, trading at more than $90 a barrel for most of this month so far.
Badawi said a decline in Egypt’s oil and gas production between 2021 and 2024 occurred because foreign companies were reluctant to invest in the country’s energy sector due to unpaid government debts.
He said: “We have settled all the debt, which reached $6.1bn in June 2024. As a result, hydrocarbon exploration and production activity grew by nearly 20% this year.
“We are now moving in the right direction to increase oil and gas output gradually.”
Despite the ongoing push to develop projects in the country’s oil and gas sector, several key projects have seen significant delays in recent years.
These include a $2bn hydrocracking complex package that forms part of the wider Assiut oil refinery upgrade project.
Earlier this month, MEED revealed that mechanical completion of the hydrocracking package is now unlikely to be reached until early next year due to complications in the final stages of construction.
The hydrocracking complex package has experienced extensive delays over several years.
In April this year, Badawi called for work to accelerate on the Assiut oil refinery upgrade project, saying it is important for reducing the country’s spending on imported refined products.
At the time, the oil ministry said the project was 88% complete, with trial operations planned by the end of the year.
Assiut Oil Refining Company (ASORC), a subsidiary of state-owned Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, is the project operator.
France’s Technip Energies is the main contractor, performing engineering, procurement and construction work on the Assiut hydrocracking complex under a $2bn contract awarded by ASORC in February 2020.
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North Field West platform bidders get extra time Administrator4 September 2026
QatarEnergy has granted contractors additional time to prepare bids for a key tender for the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of large platforms for the giant North Field gas field in Qatari waters.
The tender, issued earlier this year, forms part of the wider North Field West (NFW) project, the third and last phase of the state enterprise’s North Field liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion programme.
The core scope comprises the EPCI of four production deck modules (PDMs) and associated structures. The new PDMs will increase gas production from North Field reservoirs and provide additional gas feedstock for the NFW LNG development.
QatarEnergy has set 15 September as the deadline for technical bid submissions, while commercial bids are due on 10 November, according to sources.
The previous deadlines for submission of technical and commercial bids were 30 August and 25 October, respectively, MEED previously reported.
The following contractors, among others, are understood to be bidding:
- China Offshore Oil Engineering Company (China)
- Larsen & Toubro Energy Hydrocarbon (India)
- McDermott (US)
- Saipem (Italy)
Before issuing the PDM tender, QatarEnergy awarded McDermott a contract for the EPCI of four offshore jackets that will also support gas feedstock supply for the NFW LNG project. The contract is estimated to be worth about $200m, MEED reported in January.
North Field LNG expansion
QatarEnergy is advancing the three phases of its estimated $40bn North Field LNG expansion project. EPC works on all three giant projects are progressing.
QatarEnergy is understood to have committed nearly $30bn to the first two phases – North Field East (NFE) and North Field South (NFS) – which will lift Qatar’s LNG production capacity from 77.5 million tonnes a year (t/y) to 126 million t/y by 2028.
QatarEnergy awarded the main EPC contracts for NFE in 2021. The project was intended to raise LNG output to 110 million t/y by 2025. The $13bn EPC package – covering the EPCI of four LNG trains, each with a capacity of 8 million t/y – was awarded in February 2021 to a consortium of Japan’s Chiyoda and France’s Technip Energies.
In May 2023, QatarEnergy awarded the $10bn main EPC contract for NFS to a consortium of Technip Energies and Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC). The contract includes two LNG trains, each with a capacity of 7.8 million t/y.
Once fully operational, the first two phases are expected to add 48 million t/y of LNG supply to the global market.
QatarEnergy took the final investment decision on NFW this year, awarding an EPC contract estimated at $8bn to a joint venture comprising Technip Energies, CCC and Gulf Asia Contracting (GAC) in February.
Chiyoda carried out the front-end engineering and design (feed) work for the NFW LNG project.
The NFW scope covers the EPC of two LNG trains with a combined capacity of 16 million t/y, as well as associated facilities for gas treatment, natural gas liquids recovery and helium extraction.
In addition to LNG, NFW is expected to produce about 175,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day of condensate, ethane and LPG.
With all three phases now under EPC execution – and NFE scheduled for commissioning later this year – QatarEnergy is positioning itself to remain one of the world’s largest LNG suppliers over the long term.
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Contractors prepare Dubai Metro Gold Line prequalifications Administrator4 September 2026
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Contractors are preparing to submit their prequalification statements on 7 September for a contract to build the new Gold Line as part of the Dubai Metro network’s expansion.
Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) issued the request for qualification notice for the project in June, with an initial submission deadline of 17 August, as MEED exclusively reported.
This followed the RTA’s invitation to contractors to express interest in building the new Gold Line in May.
Dubai officially announced the launch of the new Gold Line in April.
In a post on social media site X, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said the project will cost about AED34bn ($9.2bn).
The Gold Line will increase the Dubai Metro network’s total length by 35%.
The project is scheduled for completion in September 2032.
The Gold Line will be a fully underground network covering more than 42 kilometres, with 18 stations.
It will pass through 15 areas in Dubai, benefiting 1.5 million residents.
The project is expected to provide connectivity to over 55 under-construction real estate development projects.
The Gold Line will start at Al-Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai and end at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
It will connect to Dubai Metro’s existing Red and Green lines and integrate with the Etihad Rail passenger line.
The contractor will be responsible for the design and build of all civil works, electromechanical equipment, rolling stock and rail systems.
The selected contractor will also be required to assist in the systems maintenance and operations during an initial three-year period.
In October last year, MEED exclusively reported that the RTA had selected US-based engineering firm Aecom to provide consultancy services for the Dubai Metro Gold Line project.
Stage one covers concept design, stage two covers preliminary design, stage three covers the preparation of tender documents, stage four encompasses construction supervision, and stage five covers the defects and liability period.
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Mace confirms Muscat cultural complex appointment Administrator3 September 2026
UK-headquartered engineering firm Mace Consult has confirmed its appointment to manage the construction of the Sayyid Tarik Bin Taimur Cultural Complex in the Al-Seeb area of Muscat.
The firm will provide project leadership, programme management, commercial oversight and delivery assurance services.
The complex will be developed on a 400,000-square-metre (sq m) site. Centred on an urban plaza, it will bring together a range of cultural and institutional facilities.
These include a 23,000 sq m national library, a 15,500 sq m national archives, four facilities buildings with a combined area of 14,000 sq m, and a 5,000 sq m energy and data centre.
At the heart of the development is the national theatre, which will include a 1,000-seat auditorium and a 250-seat auditorium. The facilities will sit within landscaped gardens and water features, alongside a signature canopy structure.
In October 2023, the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Youth awarded a design-and-build contract for the complex to a joint venture of local firm Saif Salim Issa Al-Harrasi and Turkiye’s Sembol Construction, MEED reported.
In January 2026, UAE-based steel structure manufacturer Emirates Building Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dubai Investments, won a contract to deliver the project’s structural steel package.
Last month, Kuwait-based engineering and architecture consultancy SSH was appointed as the project’s construction supervision consultant.
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Read the September 2026 MEED Business Review Administrator3 September 2026
Download / Subscribe / 14-day trial access Nuclear energy is becoming an increasingly important part of the GCC’s long-term power strategy, as governments seek to strengthen energy security, diversify generation and meet decarbonisation goals.
Saudi Arabia’s civil nuclear cooperation deal with the US marks a major step forward for its plans to develop its first commercial nuclear power plant, while rising electricity demand across the region is creating further momentum.With the UAE already operating the Middle East’s first commercial nuclear power station, Saudi Arabia targeting up to 17GW by 2040 and Bahrain exploring small modular reactor technologies, our latest Agenda feature examines the growing role of nuclear energy in the GCC’s future power projects pipeline.
September’s Market Focus turns to Kuwait, where the country’s oil-dependent economy has weathered unprecedented disruption, yet major investment and infrastructure deals point to resilience.
This edition also includes a downstream industry report, exploring the accelerating investment in gas processing and associated infrastructure across Mena, the major projects driving spending, and the growing focus on NGL recovery, efficiency and higher-value gas products.
In the latest issue, we speak to Emsteel chief commercial officer Michael Rion about the Abu Dhabi steelmaker’s plans to strengthen its position in domestic and international markets, including the launch of its ES600 steel rebar and the expansion of its long-standing partnership with Adnoc Group.
We also examine the GCC’s accelerating tunnelling boom, as major metro, sewerage and road projects increasingly move underground. The feature explores the scale of investment, the contractors and technology driving the market, and the challenges facing the region as demand for tunnelling expertise and equipment grows.
We hope our valued subscribers enjoy the September 2026 issue of MEED Business Review.
Must-read sections in the September 2026 issue of MEED Business Review include:
> AGENDA: Gulf nuclear revival takes shapeINDUSTRY REPORT:
Downstream
> Gas processing takes centre stage in Mena region> INTERVIEW: Emsteel persists with business productivity and efficiency
> TUNNELS: The Gulf’s next construction boom is happening underground
> KUWAIT MARKET FOCUS:
> COMMENT: Kuwait keeps dealmaking alive under fire
> GOVERNMENT: Kuwait shows tentative signs of economic development
> BANKING: Necessity is the mother of invention for Kuwaiti lenders
> OIL & GAS: Regional war to have lasting impact on Kuwaiti oil sector
> POWER & WATER: Kuwait utilities investment shifts towards water
> CONSTRUCTION: Kuwait construction holds up despite regional strife
> MARKET TALK: Kuwait stands resilient amid regional tensions
> DATABANK: Kuwait’s economic gains are dented by conflict in 2026> MEED COMMENTS:
> Cash is king for Dubai construction
> Aramco moves apace with Jafurah unconventional gas campaign
> Neom’s next phase is crucial to green hydrogen pipeline
> Oman opens door to direct power sales> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Qatar leads gains as Gulf total holds
> JUNE 2026 CONTRACTS: Middle East contract awards
> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects
> OPINION: The history of false dawns
> BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts
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Contractors submit bids for Dukhan field facilities upgrade Administrator3 September 2026
Contractors have submitted bids to QatarEnergy for a key tender to upgrade facilities at the Dukhan oil field in Qatar, about 80 kilometres west of Doha.
Dukhan, Qatar’s first and only onshore oil field, was discovered in 1938, with oil production starting in 1939-40. The country currently produces about 1.8 million barrels a day (b/d) of crude, with the Dukhan field accounting for about 350,000 b/d of output.
QatarEnergy issued the tender for the Dukhan production facilities upgrade (DPFU) Phase 1B (Part 2) project on 8 June, and initially set a bid submission deadline of 26 July for contractors, which it later extended to 9 August.
The following local contractors, among others, are understood to have submitted bids for the DPFU Phase 1B (Part 2) tender, according to information obtained by MEED Projects:
- Doha Petroleum Construction Company (Dopet)
- Galfar Al-Misnad Engineering & Contracting
- Qatar Engineering & Construction Company (Q-con)
QatarEnergy originally stipulated a bond validity of 150 days (until 23 December) and a bid validity of 120 days (until 23 November) for the project.
The engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning (EPIC) scope covers upgrades to 56 oil manifolds, 108 gas-lift manifold slots, chemical injection systems and key pumping facilities, along with associated piping, instrumentation, control, electrical and civil works.
The scope includes demolition of obsolete equipment, degassing station enhancements, and full testing and handover. It also encompasses additional capacity enhancement works under Part 3, mainly the installation of new oil export and produced-water transfer pumps, along with supporting facility modifications.
The project involves complex interfaces and shutdown-critical activities requiring expertise in live-plant integration.
The Dukhan oil field extends over an area of about 80km by 8km and consists of four reservoirs: Khatiyah, Fahahil, Jaleha and Diyab. The first three are oil reservoirs. The more recently developed Diyab reservoir contains non-associated gas and is estimated to hold around 2 billion barrels of crude oil reserves. Diyab lies on the southern flank of Dukhan.
ALSO READ: Frontrunners emerge for Qatar offshore oil field expansion
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Oman tenders advisory for 3GW solar IPPs Administrator3 September 2026
Nama Power & Water Procurement Company (Nama PWP) has invited bids for legal consultancy services for the development of three 1GW solar independent power projects (IPPs).
The projects will connect to Oman’s main interconnected system (MIS) and are targeted to reach commercial operation by the second quarter of 2030.
The bid submission deadline is 10 October.
The state offtaker has now tendered three separate consultancy contracts for the solar IPPs, including two issued in July.
The bid submission deadline for the financial and commercial consultancy services tender is 10 September.
Earlier, on 15 July, a technical advisory tender was issued for the three projects as part of a 4GW programme.
As MEED reported, the financial advisory tender covers four 1GW solar projects connected to the MIS, also targeting commercial operation by the second quarter of 2030.
It is understood that bids were submitted for this contract on 26 August.
Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC) had earlier outlined the planned grid connection for four 1GW solar IPPs as part of the sultanate’s renewable energy expansion through 2030.
The projects are included in OETC’s Five-Year Annual Transmission Capability Statement for 2026-30.
The first, the 1GW Adam solar IPP, is scheduled for grid integration in 2028 and is further ahead in the procurement process, with Nama PWP issuing a request for qualification for the project in June.
OETC said it expects the 1GW Al-Kamil 2 solar project to be integrated in 2030 through the planned Sadaf 400kV grid station. The 1GW Dhofar solar IPP and 1GW Mahadha solar IPP are also scheduled for integration in 2030.
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