Sonatrach issued an Aug. 24 bid request for a pipeline from gas fields near the north-central town of Hassi R'Mel to the Skikda port on the Gulf of Stora but extended it to Oct. 7 to give contractors more time to develop their proposals, Middle East Business Intelligence reported.

The 363-mile GK3 pipeline contract is split into two pipeline contracts and a third for a transport road.

GK3 will supply export feedstocks at the Skikda port and may link up to the planned underwater GALSI pipeline from Algeria to Sardinia and on to northern Italy.

Companies prequalified to bid on GK3 include Bechtel in the United States and the Russian Stroytransgaz.