Uncertainty over B-22 tender
Uncertainty hangs over ONGC’s tender to develop the B-22 oil and gasfield.
On August 8, the Project Appraisal Committee at ONGC cleared bids sent on May 25 by Essar Offshore, Punj Lloyd, L&T and National Petroleum Construction Corporation but left a final decision on whether to open bids to ONGC directors. Eleven companies bought tender documents when the tender re-opened on November 4, 2008 - a year after it was scrapped when Malaysian contractor Ramunia filed legal proceedings against ONGC in protest at its disqualification from the first tender.
At B-22, ONGC wants one smart well platform, two ordinary well platforms, five pipeline segments totalling 90-km, modifications to the BCP-B, BPA, B-193, BE and BF platforms as well as a â€کcomposite’ cable to the B-193 platform by April 30, 2011, at an estimated cost of $425m. During the first tender, L&T was lowest bidder beating Punj Lloyd and Naftogaz.
In this tender ONGC has reduced the scope of work to cut costs.
