MEED Middle East Economic Digest articles from November 2006

MEED Middle East Economic Digest archives from November 2006

Going nuclear.(Prince Saud al-Faisal)
November 3, 2006... In January, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Affairs Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told MEED that Riyadh wanted a nuclear-free Gulf. Prince Saud's comments were made in the context of mounting international tension over Iran's nuclear enrichment...

On the record.(SEVEN DAYS)
November 3, 2006... "If someone does not share their religion with me, they are definitely respectable and entitled to receive compassion as human beings... Borderless friendship will save the whole world" Former Iranian President Khatami receives an honorary...

Looking back ...(SEVEN DAYS)(Calendar)
November 3, 2006... 4 November 1966 The Iraq Atomic Energy Commission allocates 100,000 dinars for the establishment of an atomic research laboratory at the National Centre for Scientific Research in Baghdad 8 November 1991 Saudi Arabia gives...

US accuses Syria and Iran of plotting against Lebanon: prisoner swap with Israel on the table, says Nasrallah.(Shaikh Hassan Nasrallah)
November 3, 2006... Washington has accused Syria, Iran and Hizbollah of trying to overthrow the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. "We are increasingly concerned by mounting evidence that the Syrian and Iranian government, Hizbollah and their...

Violence linked to upcoming congressional elections.(Dick Cheney )(John Kerry )(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Senior US officials have blamed the latest surge in violence in Iraq on the upcoming mid-term congressional elections. Vice-President Dick Cheney on 31 October said Al-Qaeda and other militant groups operating in Iraq were very conscious of the...

Livni cancels trip to Qatar.(Tzipi Livni)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Tzipi Livni on 28 October cancelled plans to travel to Doha to attend the UN's sixth international conference on new or restored democracies. Livni took the decision after she was informed that the...

Tel Aviv denies German ship clash: 27 October.(NEWS DIGEST on MEED.com this week)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Israel admits that an incident took place between its air force and a German naval vessel, but denies any shots were fired. Two Israeli F16 jets were alleged to have buzzed the ship on 24 October, but an Israeli military spokeswoman denied...

Tunisia withdraws Qatari ambassador.(NEWS DIGEST on MEED.com this week)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Tunisia's Foreign Affairs Ministry confirms that it has decided to close its embassy in Qatar in response to allegedly hostile reports broadcast on the Doha-based Al-Jazeera satellite channel. The move follows the airing of interviews on 14...

Saddam lawyers walk out again: 30 October.(NEWS DIGEST on MEED.com this week)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The resumption of the trial of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussain after Eid is interrupted again. Defence lawyers walk out after the judge refused to grant 12 requests filed by chief defence lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi at the resumption of...

Three killed in Algerian truck bomb blasts.(NEWS DIGEST on MEED.com this week)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... At least three people are killed and more than 20 injured in bomb attacks on police stations in two Algerian towns. Vehicle bombs are detonated in near-simultaneous attacks in the eastern Algiers suburb of Dergana and Reghaia, 20 miles east of...

US naval exercises take place in Gulf waters.( )(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Six countries, including Bahrain, take part in US-led naval exercises in the Gulf, practising intercepting and searching ships suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction. Qatar and the UAE send observers. The US says the exercise is not...

Israeli army kills Hamas members: 31 October.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Israeli forces kill two Hamas members in the Gaza Strip on the same day that representatives of the group visit Cairo to discuss a possible prisoner exchange. Tel Aviv says that the two men, members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, were shot...

Al-Jazeera sets date for launch.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Al-Jazeera announces that it will launch its English-language channel on 15 November. "The launching of the English channel offers the chance to reach out to a new audience that is used to hearing the name of Al-Jazeera without being able to...

UK launches Syria diplomacy: 1 November.(NEWS DIGEST on MEED.com this week)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The Syrian government confirms a meeting took place between Prime Minister Tony Blair's most senior foreign policy adviser and Syria's President Asad on 30 October. The visit by Sir Nigel Sheinwald marks the highest-level exchange between the...

Borrowin more time: five years after tapping the international community for funds, the Lebanese government is going back to Paris to plead for more. But this time it needs to prove it can deliver on reform.(Prime Minister Fouad Siniora)(Cover story)
November 3, 2006... The date is set. On 25 January international donors will meet at a conference in Paris to offer a lifeline to Beirut's ailing economy, battered from the recent Israeli bombardment and already struggling under a mountain of debt. Due to the...

Emergency call: its credibility at stake, the government hopes to drive through telecoms privatisation before the January conference.
November 3, 2006... With the Paris donor conference fast approaching, Beirut is pinning its hopes on the sale of its two mobile phone licences. A successful auction would, it hopes, prove its commitment to reform to lenders. But the government's approach to the...

Welcome to Lebanon, sponsored by Qatar: wary of corruption and political backbiting, international donor are bypassing the government to directly fund villages in the south.
November 3, 2006... "Winter is setting in and everybody is getting frustrated," says Abdulrahman Bizri, mayor of Sidon. "With all the rain over Eid al-Fitr and the general state of the roads, most people spent their holidays in traffic jams." A month after...

Rolling out the barrels: doubts are growing that OPEC will be able to keep to its commitment to deliver the output cuts its president promised at an emergency meeting in Doha.(Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)(Edmund Daukoru)
November 3, 2006... OPEC called it "an act of interim stabilisation" when, at an emergency meeting in Doha on 20 October, it announced a 1.2 million-barrel-a-day (b/d) reduction in output. The cuts came into effect on 1 November. But industry analysts are warning...

State set to ramp up gas production: KOC foresees growing power sector demand.(Kuwait Oil Company )(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... State upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) is aiming to produce up to 1,000 million cubic feet a day (mcf/d) of non-associated gas by 2015, according to KOC chairman and managing director Farouk al-Zanki. "We expect to be producing...

Two line up for Al-Shaheen refinery work.(Foster Wheeler Corp. and WorleyParsons Ltd. prequalifies)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Australia's Worley Parsons and the US' Foster Wheeler submitted prequalifications in late October to Qatar Petroleum (QP) for the combined contract to provide services to the planned Al-Shaheen refinery. Invitation to bid documents for the...

Quartet submits bids for Upper Zakum gas project.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Four international companies have submitted technical and commercial bids to Zakum Development Company (Zadco) for the post of project manager on its gas treatment plant at its central processing facility on Zirku island. The bidders are the...

Aramco awards onshore work to Foster Wheeler.(contracts of Saudi Arabian Oil Co.)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Saudi Aramco announced on 29 October the signing of the onshore project management consultancy and front-end engineering and design (FEED) services contract to the US' Foster Wheeler for the estimated $11,000 million Manifa oil field...

Sonatrach's 15th find.(ALGERIA)
November 3, 2006... A consortium of state energy company Sonatrach and Canada's First Calgary Petroleums (FCP) has discovered oil and gas on block 405b of the Ledjmet prospect in the Berkine basin, bringing to 15 the total number of hydrocarbon discoveries by...

China rig plans unveiled.(EGYPT)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... A new Egyptian-Chinese company established to build oil rigs will begin work in 2007. The as-yet unnamed company will initially build three rigs a year. rising to seven by 2008 and reaching 20 a year by 2010. Cairo and Beijing agreed to...

Legal advice sought.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Washington is seeking a legal adviser to help draw up legislation aimed at attracting investment into the country's oil sector. The US Commerce Department published in late October a solicitation notice for a 12-month contract. The deadline for...

Bid extension for Sirhan.(Natural Resources Authority )(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The Natural Resources Authority has extended to 19 November the date for international companies to submit proposals for an oil and gas licensing bid round for the North and South Sirhan blocks. The blocks cover a total area of 11.610 square...

PDO set to boost exploration investment.(Petroleum Development Oman)
November 3, 2006... Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is to significantly ramp up exploration activity over the coming two years, as part of a $10,000 million, five-year investment programme aimed at boosting production from its ageing oil fields. One-third of the...

Umm Shaif subcontract let.(contracts )(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... WorleyParsons Engineering--part of Australia's WorleyParsons--has been awarded a subcontract to provide detailed engineering services for the installation and fabrication of three major platforms, 16 subsea pipelines, interconnecting bridges...

Prices tumble on warmer weather and US economic news.(OIL ROUND-UP)
November 3, 2006... Oil prices fell by close to $2 a barrel in the last week of October, on warmer weather and slower economic growth in the US. OPEC members queued up to pledge their intention to follow through on the 1.2 million barrel-a-day (b/d) cut agreed on...

New oil found at Sirte.(LIBYA)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced on 31 October two new discoveries in the onshore Sirte basin. The local Zueitina Oil Company, acting on behalf of operators NOC. Austria's OMV and Occidental Petroleum Corporation of the US. has tested...

Fresh prices for gas job.(QATAR)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Revised prices are to be submitted on 5 November to Qatar Petroleum (QP) for the front-end engineering and design contract covering its proposed gas sweetening integrated project at Mesaieed. Two companies--Australia's WorleyParsons and Mustang...

Block 24 exploration done.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... China's BGP has completed seismic studies in block 24 in the east. "A minimum of two wells will be drilled to depths of 2,400 metres each by the end of November," says a source at Dallas-based Improved Petroleum Recovery International (IPR),...

Search is on for Fujairah pipeline manager.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Abu Dhabi-based International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) has started the process of selecting a project manager for the trans-emirate Habshan-Fujairah oil pipeline scheme, by inviting expressions of interest for the contract by 9...

Gasco pipeline on course.(Egyptian Natural Gas Company)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Egyptian Natural Gas Company (Gasco) will complete by the end of the year designs for a 136-kilometre-long section of the gas pipeline between Beni Suef and Aswan. The $75 million project covers the second section of the scheme and runs from...

Margham plans new compressors.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Companies responded in late October to an initial inquiry for a contract to provide detailed engineering, design and procurement services for a Margham Dubai Establishment (MDE) project to supply and install two sets of new 10,000-hp...

Trans-Maghreb gas pipeline moves ahead.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Tunis and Tripoli are preparing to tender an estimated $250 million contract to design and build a 266-kilometre-long gas pipeline to supply Libyan gas to Tunisia. Tunisian-Libyan Gas Transportation Company (Joint Gas)--a 50:50 joint venture of...

Beirut to replace refineries.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Qatar Petroleum International (QPI), the investment arm of Qatar Petroleum (Qp),will design, build and operate Beirut's first new refinery in 14 years on a 25-year build-operate-transfer concession, officials at the Higher Council for...

Bu Attifel finally gets go-ahead.(MAN Ferrostaal)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Germany's MAN Ferrostaal and an Italian team led by Bonatti is low bidder for the contract to upgrade production facilities at the Bu Attifel oil field in the east Sirte basin, following the submission of bids by three shortlisted groups. The...

Shell plans pipeline.(RAK Petroleum)(Royal Dutch/Shell Group)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The Royal Dutch/Shell Group together with Ras al-Khaimah-based RAK Petroleum is considering plans to pipe gas into Ras al-Khaimah from Iran. The proposed pipeline would help meet growing demands for gas in the UAE. The project will compete with...

SPD wins offshore work.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Dubai-based SPD has won a subcontract to provide well engineering management services for offshore oil and gas fields in Dubai emirate. The contract was placed by the local Petrofac International, which was awarded in August a five-year...

Dana plans gas imports.(Granada Group)(Dana Gas)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Sharjah-based Dana Gas has announced the signing of an agreement as part of its plans to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) into Kuwait, Lebanon and Pakistan. A memorandum of understanding has been signed between a three-member consortium of...

Bahwan eyes fertiliser plant: winning bidder to oversee detailed engineering and construction work.(Bahwan Group)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... A group of state-owned Sonatrach with Oman's Bahwan Group has completed an initial study for a proposed world-scale fertiliser and urea complex to be built at Arzew in the northwest. Estimated to cost $1,500 million, the facility will have...

Award nears for Ruwais melamine plant.(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Abu Dhabi Melamine Industry Company (Admie) has completed technical clarifications with bidders for the engineering, procurement and construction management contract to build a melamine plant in Ruwais. Three companies submitted bids in August...

WorleyParsons nets Jubail job.(Jubail)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Australia's WorleyParsons has been awarded the front-end engineering and design and programme management contract for the third phase of the Jubail petrochemicals complex planned by Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem). The...

Developers shape Makkah cityscape: $9.3bn scheme will house 250,000 people.(Al-Shamiyah Urban Development Company)(Makkah Development Authority )(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The local Al-Shamiyah Urban Development Company (AUDC), a subsidiary of Al-Khobar-based Al-Oula Development Company, is in the final stages of completing the masterplan for a major residential development in Makkah. The Al-Shamiyah scheme is...

Munshaat studies Qeblah.(Munshaat Real Estate Projects Company)(Dar al-Qeblah)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Kuwait's Munshaat Real Estate Projects Company received bids on 31 October to build one of the largest residential projects in Medina. The Dar al-Qeblah complex will be located about 150 metres to the south of the Prophet's mosque. Valued at...

Al-Oula prepares Al-Khobar tower.(Al-Oula Development Company)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The local Al-Oula Development Company is planning to build the largest tower in Al-Khobar on the kingdom's east coast. The estimated SR 1,000 million ($272 million) project is one of several schemes proposed in the city as investors look to tap...

Ring-road work awarded.(KUWAIT)(Gulf Consult)(Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc.)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The US/local team of Parsons Brinckerhoff and Gulf Consult has been awarded the construction supervision contract covering phase 1 of the first ring-road upgrade project, Contractor prequalification has been completed for the second phase, with...

Firms line up for Gardens.(KUWAIT)(residential construction contracts)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... About six local contractors have been invited to submit bids by the end of November for a contract to build The Gardens residential complex in the Mahaboula district of Kuwait City. The estimated KD 8 million ($28 million) project includes...

New towers on the way.(First United General Trading and Contracting)(Tijara & Real Estate Investment Company)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The local First United General Trading & Contracting Company has begun work on two adjoining high-rise commercial towers in the Sharq district of Kuwait City. Called the 25 February and 26 February Towers, in celebration of liberation from the...

Casino funds bridge.(Casino du Liban)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The local Casino du Liban will fund the reconstruction of the Casino bridge in Jounieh, 20 kilometres north of Beirut. The bridge, which is one of the four bridges along the highway connecting the capital with the northern town of Batroun, was...

Firms invited to bid for Abu Dhabi resort.(Broadway Malayan )(KEO International Consultants )(Currie & Brown )(Mace International )(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... A consortium of local private developers has invited selected companies to prequalify for the main construction package for a major mixed-use resort on Abu Dhabi island. The Lagoon Club project involves the construction of a five-star hotel...

Jeddah redevelops airport.(HOK)(Al-Oula Development Company )(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Jeddah Municipality has appointed the US' HOK to masterplan the redevelopment of the city's old airport into a multi-billion dollar residential and business district. The six-month contract centres on developing a masterplan for a...

Contractors price Daman residential complex scheme.(Hill International)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Bids are under evaluation for the raft contract on the estimated $450 million Buildings by Daman project in the Dubai International Financial Centre. Bidders for the contract include Lebanon's Arabian Construction Company, the local...

New projects for Dubai park.(Dubai Investments Real Estate Company)(Al-Jabal Engineering Consultants)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Dubai Investments Real Estate Company (DIRC), is planning its first residential project at Dubai Investments Park (DIP). Known as Ritaj, the development will have more than 2,200 housing units. The consultant is the local Al-Jabal...

L&T wins Sohar homes.(OMAN)(Larsen and Toubro Ltd.)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Larsen & Toubro (Oman) has won a $120 million contract to build a residential complex at Sohar. The contract involves the construction of nine apartment blocks and about 150 villas, as well as leisure facilities and a shopping complex and is...

Fouzan gets hospital work.(SAUDI ARABIA)(Al-Fouzan Trading & General Construction Company contracts)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The local Al-Fouzan Trading & General Construction Company has been awarded an estimated SR 600 million ($160 million) contract to build a new 300-bed hospital in Medina for the National Guard Health Affairs. The Ministry of Health has received...

Al-Saad kicks off project.(SAUDI ARABIA)(Al-Saad General Contracting Company)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The local Al-Saad General Contracting Company has been awarded a SR 100 million ($27 million) contract to build a new sports complex in Wadi al-Dawasser, south of Riyadh. The scheme centres on the construction of an outdoor stadium, football...

Mushrif wins tower job.(UAE)(Mushrif Trading and Contracting Co contracts)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Kuwait's Mushrif Trading & Contracting has won a $20.8 million contract to build an 18-storey serviced apartment tower in Abu Dhabi. Called the Al-Dhahery building, the tower will also have a three-storey basement car park, gym and pool. The...

Berger wins southern reconstruction.(SUDAN)(Louis Berger Group contracts)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The US' Louis Berger Group has won a contract worth up to $700 million to rebuild infrastructure in Southern Sudan. The five-year contract is part of the Sudan infrastructure services project being implemented by the US Agency for International...

Emaar joins rush for Dead Sea resort developments.(JORDAN)(Emaar Properties)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Dubai-based developer Emaar Properties has announced plans for a new mixed-use development on the Dead Sea. To be called Siwar, the estimated $150 million project will be located near the King Hussain bin Talal Convention Centre and is in...

Alghanim gains Avenue extension.(KUWAIT)(Alghanim International General Trading & Contracting co contracts Mabanee)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The local Alghanim International General Trading & Contracting has been awarded a further KD 27 million ($93 million) of work on its main construction contract for The Avenue mixed-use development, near the Shuwaikh industrial area. The client...

More time for landmarks.(UAE)(bids for building projects)(Sorouh Real Estate contracts with ALDAR Properties )(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Revised bidding schedules have been announced on three major building projects in Abu Dhabi. On the 379-metre-high Sky Tower project on Reem island, the local Sorouh Real Estate is now preparing to receive bids on 12 November (MEED 25:8:06)....

Waste project for Dubai.(UAE)(National Projects Holding)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... National Projects Holding, a subsidiary of Kuwait's National Real Estate, plans to build a AED 550 million ($150 million) recycling park at Dubai Industrial City. Known as Dubai Recycling Park. the project involves establishing up to a dozen...

Tecom tower planned.(UAE)(Asam Investments and Real Estate)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Local property developer Asam Investments & Real Estate plans to build a AED 450 million ($123 million) office tower. The Grosvenor Business tower will be located in the Dubai Technology e-Commerce & Media Free Zone (Tecom) area between the...

Maritime City job awarded.(UAE)(Bin Hafeez General Contracting & Transport Establishment contracts with Nakheel )(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The local Bin Hafeez General Contracting & Transport Establishment has been awarded the estimated AED 370 million ($100 million) 2B infrastructure works at Duba Maritime City. The scope of works covers roads, services and paving for half of the...

Bids submitted for minerals railway: twelve consortiums price first three packages on project, which is due for completion by 2010.(SAUDI ARABIA)(contracts)
November 3, 2006... The Public Investment Fund will complete technical evaluations by late November for the first three construction packages on the 2,400-kilometre-long north-south railway project after receiving bids on 30 October. In total, 12 consortiums...

Medina transport plan nears.(Najd al-Arabiya for Joint Development)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The local Najd al-Arabiya for Joint Development is finalising plans with the government to develop a comprehensive transport system for Medina. The group will submit final technical proposals for the estimated $1,100 million scheme imminently....

Consortiums line up for pilgrimage terminal upgrade.(SAUDI ARABIA)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... About five consortiums have submitted technical and commercial proposals for the build-transfer-operate concession covering the proposed expansion and rehabilitation of the Hajj terminal at the King Abdulaziz International-Airport in Jeddah....

Consultants submit plans for Riyadh rail.(SAUDI ARABIA)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Consortiums of international and local consultants have submitted proposals to provide consultancy services for the proposed $2,000 million Riyadh light railway project. ADA aims to make an award by the end of the year with the contract lasting...

Hamza flies at Sohar.(OMAN)(Hamza Associates contracts)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The Transport & Communication Ministry has awarded a consortium led by Egypt's Hamza Associates a RO 2.3 million ($6 million) contract to design a proposed new airport at Sohar. Other members of the consortium are Robert & Company with a 25 per...

Nakilat inks towage deal.(QATAR)(Qatar Gas Transport Company joint venture with Svitzer Middle East)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) has signed a joint venture agreement with Svitzer Middle East, part of Denmark's AP Moiler, to provide harbour towage and mooring services at Ras Laffan port. The joint venture will service a 22-year...

Monorail plans take shape.(UAE)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Dubai Properties, part of Dubai Holding, is considering plans for a monorail system linking its Culture Village development with Dubai International Airport. Formerly known as Arabian Bays, the development includes residential buildings,...

Emirates snubs Airbus.(UAE)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Dubai-based carrier Emirates has cancelled its order for 20 A340-600 aircraft from Europe's Airbus after Airbus said it was considering changing the aircraft's design (MEED 20:6:03).

Oman Air head named.(PEOPLE)
November 3, 2006... Oman Air has appointed Ziad bin Karim al-Haremi as its chief executive officer (CEO). AI-Haremi has been acting CEO since September 2005.

Arab states consider nuclear power: rising energy demand behind plans from several regional countries to develop nuclear energy.(REGIONAL)
November 3, 2006... At least six Arab countries are developing domestic nuclear power programmes in order to diversify energy sources over the medium-to-long term and to combat a growing shortage of natural gas. "Some Middle East states, including Egypt,...

US firms compete for transmission study.(JORDAN)(electric utilities contracts)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... State-owned National Electric Power Company (Nepco) is evaluating five proposals from US companies for the contract to carry out a feasibility study that will look into decreasing the transmission loss in the kingdom's power distribution lines....

Gamesa lands Zafarana farm.(EGYPT)(Gamesa Energia contracts with wind farm in Zafarana)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The New & Renewable Energy Authority has awarded Spain's Gamesa Energia the lump-sum turnkey contract to design and build a 120-MW wind farm in Zafarana. Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation and Vestas Italia also submitted bids. Finance for the...

Cairo opens technical bids for El-Tebbine steam plant.(Electric power plant construction)(Cairo Electricity Production Company)
November 3, 2006... Cairo Electricity Production Company (CEPC) has opened technical bids on a number of keyworks packages on its project to build a 700-MW steam power plant at El-Tebbine. An award is expected imminently for the steam generator package on the...

Shobak proposals due.(construction of wastewater treatment plant)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The Water & Irrigation Ministry is preparing to issue a request for proposals (RFP) to 12 prequalified companies for the contract to build a wastewater treatment plant in Shobak. 200 kilometres south of Amman. The scope of works includes the...

Hirbodan powers refinery.(Construction contracts)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Oman Refinery Company has awarded a team of Iran's Hirbodan with the UAE's Hico FZE the RO 26 million ($67 million) engineering, procurement and construction contract for a 48-MW co-generation plant at its Mina Fahal refinery, The contract is...

Ashghal awaits pump bids.(construction contract)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Contractors are preparing bids for two separate pump station contracts, being tendered by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal). Bids are due on 28 November for the $30 million-40 million contract for the construction of pump station 25 in the...

El-Sewedy enters Syria.(factory construction)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... Egypt's El-Sewedy Cables Company is planning to establish a transformer factory in Syria at an estimated cost of E 100 million [pounds sterling] ($17.5 million). The facility will have annual production capacity of 2,000 transformers of up to 5...

Tehran launches contest for new dams.(dam construction contracts)(Brief article)
November 3, 2006... The Energy Ministry has issued engineering, procurement and construction tenders for two major storage and irrigation dams to be built in Ardabil province in northwest Iran and Kohgilu & Boyer Ahmad province in the southwest. A third, much...