Swiber and SapuraKencana race for new RUMP
Swiber and SapuraKencana are leading the race to win ONGC’s re-issued tender to revamp unmanned wellhead platforms and other facilities at the Mumbai High North and South fields.
Originally tendered in 2013 and 2014 as RUMP-I and RUMP-II, ONGC scrapped both tenders after receiving price bids in a knee-jerk response to the low oil price. Both projects have now risen from the dead under a new name: Life Extension of Unmanned Platforms Project Tender-1 or LEUPPT, issued on August 26.
In today's cut-throat climate for work Swiber and SapuraKencana are bidding aggressively in the Indian market. For this job they are favourites because they own barges and have in-house repair and revamp capability.
Unlike rivals they don't need to hire barges or hire an engineering partner and can pass on the cost-saving to ONGC. L&T might also bid but not aggressively as the tender does not involve replacing decks.
“There is no need for a yard," explains a source, "as most of the work involves offshore repairs, modification and replacement on established platforms." L&T may also feel the job is beneath its level of expertise as the assignment can be done by semi-skilled and not skilled labour.
Other likely bidders include Dolphin Offshore, GOL Offshore, Pipavav Defence & Offshore and Essar Offshore. Tender documents are on sale until the October 30 bid submission deadline.