(Arabian Oil and Gas) -- In February, Aramco awarded KBR the FEED contract for the Jizan project. Saudi Aramco may invite bids earlier than planned for the contract to build a $7 billion refinery at Jizan in the Kingdom's southwest.
Aramco's original plan was to invite bids for the EPC contracts by the end of 2012, but they are now looking to bring this forward by six months, according to an unnamed source speaking to the Dow Jones Newswire.
Jizan is slated to produce 400,000 barrel per day on completion, and will supply the burgeoning local market.
It is not clear why the tendering process is being expedited. The project was initially due to be implemented by the Saudi government as a private sector initiative but, after generating limited interest, was handed over to Aramco.