Kuwait taking bids on oil contracts

KUWAIT CITY, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- The state-run Kuwait Oil Co. has invited 22 developers to bid on export pipeline contracts from planned facilities in the west of the country.

KOC, one of the world's largest oil companies, said it invited 22 firms to a Dec. 4 meeting ahead of a Jan. 18 closing date for bids on the blocks in the west of Kuwait, the Middle East Business Intelligence reporting agency said Tuesday.

The new Gathering Center 16 ultimately will hold around 200,000 barrels of crude per day. The facility is part of a broader expansion effort by KOC to bring around 4 million barrels per day to the market by 2020.

Production at Kuwait's gas fields is expected to more than triple by 2011 due to KOC invitations earlier in November.