The aim is to have a contractor operate the facility, also permitting wide leeway in design, engineering and installation.

However, the contract model would also endow providers with broad operational and legal responsibility, according to the tender documents.

The main requirement is that the CA-KU-A1 unit — which could take the shape of a fixed platform, floater or even ship-shaped hull — would interface with existing infrastructure and provide gas-processing capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day.

Stalwarts