The deadline for commercial submissions for an estimated USD 60 million deal to upgrade its oily water treatment and disposal facilities at Zirku Island has been delayed to October 15 by Zakum Development Company’s subsidiary Zadco.

Bids were due to be submitted on September 30 but Zadco informed bidders that it was pushing back the deadline by 15 days. The company did not give a reason for the delay.

Zadco uses Zirku, which lies 140km NW of Abu Dhabi as its main base of operations. The engineering, procurement and construction contract for the first part of the deal was tendered on 14 July for construction of a new 12 inch pipeline to replace the existing transit route.

The company plans to tender the second part of the project in mid 2011. The project is part of Zadco’s plans to upgrade the facilities and increase crude oil handling capacity to 750,000bpd from the current 550,000bpd.