Saudi Aramco has moved five major offshore packages into bid evaluation, giving its long-term agreement contractors another shot at a construction programme that could be worth several billion dollars across the Marjan, Abu Safah, Berri, Manifa, Safaniya and Zuluf fields.

The tenders, identified as CRPOs 167 to 171, cover eight offshore jackets and 13 production deck modules. Final bids have reportedly been submitted by contractors including Saipem, McDermott, L&T in partnership with Subsea7, NMDC Energy, Lamprell and China Offshore Oil Engineering Company.

No contracts have been awarded yet. But when Aramco asks the industry to price 21 offshore structures across five packages, it is more than routine maintenance. It is another indication that Saudi Arabia’s offshore investment cycle remains firmly in construction mode.

Five packages, 21 structures

The tender programme divides the work between one large jacket package and four production deck module packages:

• CRPO 167 covers eight offshore jackets for the Marjan field.
• CRPO 168 covers four production deck modules for Abu Safah, Berri, Manifa and Safaniya.
• CRPO 169 covers three production deck modules for Marjan.
• CRPO 170 covers another three production deck modules for Marjan.
• CRPO 171 covers three production deck modules for Zuluf.

The scope includes engineering, procurement, fabrication, transportation and offshore installation. Depending on the individual facility requirements, the packages are also likely to generate associated work for piles, boat landings, risers, conductors, topside equipment, electrical systems, instrumentation and brownfield integration.

Aramco initially extended the bid submission deadline to 1 July 2026, giving contractors additional time to complete their commercial and technical proposals. The packages have since moved into evaluation, according to industry reports.

How much could it be worth?

Aramco has not disclosed official contract values, so any estimate needs to be treated with caution. Still, recent offshore awards provide a useful benchmark.

A package containing eight jackets, including fabrication, piles, transportation and installation, could reasonably fall in the $600 million to $1 billion range. Water depth, jacket weight, installation methodology and the availability of offshore vessels will have a major influence on the final number.

The production deck module packages could carry higher unit values. A three or four-module package may be worth approximately $500 million to $900 million, depending on processing equipment, utilities, tie-ins and brownfield modifications.

That gives the five-package programme a broad potential value of around $3 billion to $4.5 billion. It could move higher if the modules contain substantial processing equipment or if the offshore installation scopes prove more complex than expected.

The estimate does not imply five equally sized awards. CRPO 167 is likely to be driven by steel fabrication and offshore installation, while CRPOs 168 to 171 will carry a heavier concentration of process equipment, electrical systems, instrumentation and module integration.

Fabrication capacity will matter

The bidder list brings together most of the serious players in Aramco’s offshore contracting market.

Saipem and McDermott offer large offshore installation fleets and established regional execution experience. NMDC Energy brings major fabrication capacity in the UAE and a strong record in Arabian Gulf projects. L&T and Subsea7 combine fabrication, engineering and offshore installation capabilities, while Lamprell offers a Saudi-linked fabrication position through its presence in the region. COOEC adds substantial Chinese fabrication and marine construction resources.

The competition will not be decided on headline price alone. Yard availability, vessel schedules, local content, Saudi fabrication capacity and the ability to execute several structures simultaneously will all influence Aramco’s award strategy.

This also creates an opening below the main contractor level. Steel plate suppliers, module fabricators, equipment manufacturers, coating companies, cable suppliers, instrumentation vendors and marine logistics providers should see meaningful tender activity once the main packages are awarded.

Aramco is keeping the offshore market busy

The new tenders follow a heavy period of offshore contracting. Aramco reportedly spent almost $11 billion on offshore construction contracts in 2025, more than double its 2024 offshore capital expenditure. It also selected contractors for CRPOs 150, 157, 158, 159 and 160, worth more than $3 billion collectively, before advancing further packages connected to Zuluf.

That matters because CRPOs 167 to 171 do not look like an isolated burst of procurement. They sit inside a broader maintain-potential programme covering some of Saudi Arabia’s most important producing fields.

For contractors, the message is straightforward. Aramco’s offshore market remains crowded, competitive and difficult to price, but the volume of work is still large enough to keep regional yards, engineering centres and installation fleets busy.

The next milestone is contract award. When that comes, the more interesting question may not be who wins, but how Aramco divides the five packages across its LTA contractor pool.