Singapore-based Sembcorp Marine (Sembmarine) and Malaysia’s Sapura Energy have moved to the head of the queue in the competition to secure a contract from Qatar’s North Oil Company (NOC) for work on the second development stage of its Gallaf project.

Multiple sources told Upstream that NOC is close to finalising its preferred contractor for Gallaf Stage 2 and that Sembmarine and Sapura are most likely to face off for the award.

NOC is believed to be in separate talks with the two players and a decision is imminent, one industry source said.

Other sources agreed that the operator is expected within weeks to place the final contract for a job that involves work on at least two new wellhead platforms.

NOC — a joint venture between state-owned Qatar Petroleum (QP) and French major Total, which is the operator — is carrying out further expansion of the Al Shaheen offshore field under what is known as the Gallaf project.

Revised technical and commercial offers for the Gallaf Stage 2 platforms project were submitted early this year by up to four contenders.

In addition to Sembmarine and Sapura, McDermott International of the US and Vietnam’s PetroVietnam Technical Services Corporation (PTSC) are understood to be among the bidders.

The workscope for the second development stage that is currently being tendered includes two new wellhead platforms, a connecting bridge and brownfield work.

The jackets for the two platforms are likely to weigh at least 1800 tonnes each and the two platforms will together involve more than 10,000 tonnes of fabrication.

Gallaf is being carried out in three main stages and is expected to involve at least eight offshore platforms and several segments of subsea pipelines.

Meanwhile, Oslo-listed Subsea 7 is understood to have recently landed an offshore pipeline contract from NOC for the Gallaf project, which is believed to represent a separate part of the second development phase.

PTSC is working on the first stage of Gallaf, having last year landed a contract from NOC that was thought to be valued at between $300 million and $350 million.

The workscope for Gallaf Stage 1 includes three wellhead platforms weighing 3000 tonnes each and three bridges, each weighing about 1000 tonnes.

The remaining three platforms comprising Gallaf Stage 3 are likely to be offered next year, a source added.

The Gallaf project was initiated last year by NOC to improve production capacity at Al Shaheen.

Qatar plans to maintain production capacity of Al Shaheen at current levels, believed to be close to 300,000 barrels per day.

Al Shaheen is Qatar’s largest oilfield and Total in 2016 was awarded operatorship for 25 years.

The field accounts for almost half of Qatar’s oil production. Existing facilities include 33 platforms, 300 wells and several production hubs spread over nine separate locations.

QP owns a 70% stake in NOC, with Total holding 30%.

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Gallaf 2 frontrunners emerge