At present, Malaysian installation powerhouse TL Offshore (TLO) has a three-year contract that covers all the offshore installation needs of national oil company Petronas plus Shell and ExxonMobil.
That contract covers the years 2004 through 2006.
TLO's competitors, including Nippon Steel, Global Industries and J Ray McDermott, are waiting in the wings to pounce on new tenders expected this year.
Sources said there is "a huge installation workscope" for platforms and pipelines from 2007 to 2009, and it would be surprising if Petronas opted for a single multi-year contract similar to TLO's.
Instead,
