The contract, worth a combined US$79 million, is the first stage of the Guntong Hub development which will involve drilling new wells, workovers of existing wells, satellite platforms, inter-field pipelines and retrofit of existing platforms.

Once operational, the Hub will be process an estimated four trillion cubic feet of gas for sale in Peninsular Malaysia.

The two fabricators are Sime SembCorp Engineering Sdn Bhd and Ramunia Fabricators Sdn Bhd. They will be responsible for the construction of Platform Two, which consists of an eight-leg jacket and modules used for gas receiving, separation, dehydration and compression. Sime SembCorp is to fabricate and construct the topsides, while Ramunia is responsible for the platform jacket.

While no one was available for comment at Ramunia, Sime SembCorp announced the awarding of the contract on the KLSE bourse.

In a statement, Sime SembCorp’s parent company, Sime Engineering Services Bhd, announced, “Sime SembCorp [has] entered into a contract for the procurement, fabrication, testing, loadout, tiedown and offshore hook-up and commissioning of Guntong-E platform topsides. The value of the contract is approximately RM289 million (US$76.1 million).”

Platform Two is expected to be completed and installed offshore by the third quarter of next year. Startup is scheduled for 2006.

According to EMEPMI chairman, Rob Fisher, “Guntong E [will] form the processing hub for a series of future gas resources development commitments under a gas production-sharing contract (GPSC) with [Petronas].”

“The GPSC provides for the commercialisation of a significant portion of the natural gas resources discovered by ExxonMobil offshore Peninsular Malaysia and extends our company’s operations here up to at least 2027. ExxonMobil, which has invested more than US$11.8 billion in Malaysia over the past 25 years, is committed to investing more,” added Fisher.

EMEPMI is the operator of the 50-50 joint interest in GPSC with Petronas Carigali.