At least 12 firms submitted bids for the deal by the June 28th 2009 deadline. Aramco pushed back the deadline from the original date of June 7th 2009 after contractors asked for more time to prepare their bids.
The lump sum procure and build contract includes 4 plants in the northwest of the kingdom Duba, Jouf, Tabuk and Turaif and 4 in the southwest Abha, Rabigh, Jizan and Yanbu.
The contract also covers the Qatif and Hasa bulk plants in the Eastern Province and the Qasim and Sulayyil plants in the central region. The winning contractor will increase the petroleum, diesel and fuel oil storage capacities at the plants. However, the scale of the upgrade is not known.