Al Jaber wins Shah gas field deal

Dubai: Abu Dhabi and ConocoPhillips have awarded a Dh1.1 billion construction contract for their Shah gas project to Al Jaber Group, Al Ittihad reported Saturday.

Last month, local media reported the joint venture was planning to award around $10 billion (Dh36.7 billion) of contracts in the first half of 2010 to develop the sour gas field. The two parties would sign the final contract soon, Al Ittihad quoted a source as saying.

Privately owned Al Jaber Group will build the project's infrastructure, including its roads as well as units such as gas treatment plants, the newspaper reported.

State-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has said it expected to see first production from the joint venture by late 2013 or early 2014.

It is the first project the UAE has undertaken to exploit a sour gas field.