Industry sources said invitations to tender for a turnkey package are due back with Apache early next month with contract award scheduled for the second quarter of this year. The platform is expected to be installed in 2012.

The operator wants to award an engineering, procurement, 
installation and construction 
contract but some project watchers believe too much of the 
engineering work has been left 
to the bidders, a situation that may deter some potential contenders.

“Very