Saudi Aramco and Japan's Sumitomo Chemical Company are re-tendering the consultancy contract for the expansion of the integrated refinery and petrochemicals complex at Rabigh on the Red Sea coast, in an effort to reduce costs. Companies must now submit their interest in Petro-Rabigh by Jan. 15 in order to prequalify. The contract, which covers the front-end engineering and design and project management of the multi-billion-dollar expansion, was originally due to be awarded in June 2008. It was later delayed until October and was finally scrapped after only two contractors, Italy's Tecnimont and Japan's JGC Corporation, submitted bids. One source close to the project says Tecnimont and JGC have been reinvited to bid. The expansion of Petro-Rabigh will involve expanding the ethane cracker and aromatics complex, and the construction of at least 15 chemical production plants.
