Iraq’s cabinet on 11 July re-awarded a $416.9mn contract to Dutch maritime services provider Boskalis to build the long-delayed Sealine-3 (SL-3) offshore pipeline. The award which was first made on 30 May (MEES, 2 June) was suspended on 20 June after accusations of corruption by a former MP (MEES, 30 June). The new decision made little to no changes to the original award, only instructing the Oil Ministry to “audit” the project’s documents.
The 48” pipeline will have a nameplate capacity of 2mn b/d, although pumping station constraints will likely restrict initial flows. Crude would be delivered from onshore storage facilities to the idled 600,000 b/d capacity Khor al-Amaya (KAAOT) and 900,000 b/d SPM4 facilities. The work is to be financed by a $518mn loan from Japan’s JICA. Completion is aimed 400 days after the Dutch firm begins construction. (CONTINUED - 136 WORDS)