Saipem and Commsa in the box seat for Perla

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez speaks during the plenary session of the ALBA (Boliviarian Alternative for the Americas) summit in Caracas February 4, 2012. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins (VENEZUELA - Tags: POLITICS)

Looking to the future: Venezuela under President Hugo Chavez is bidding to increase drilling.

Italy’s Saipem and the Mexican yard Commsa are understood to have nudged ahead in the bid to win Repsol and Eni’s three different engineering, procurement and construction contracts for the $1.4 billion Perla development in the Cardon IV block in the Gulf of Venezuela.

Industry sources following the tender could not provide a monetary value on the bids, but Saipem and its partner are understood to have submitted the most aggressive offer.

J Ray McDermott of the US is also understood to have bid on all three contracts, as has Dynamic Industries in association with Venezuela’s Vhicoa.

Spain’s Dragados Offshore also bid in the tender, but only for the fabrication sector, it is understood.

That means two Mexican yards are poised to win some of the Venezuelan awards.

While not confirmed, McDermott could also use its Mexican yard, though…

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