Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) online bids this year recently reached $300 million. The total includes the contract value for the construction of a gas plant at Saih Nihayda, which was awarded in May using the Internet as part of an auction process.
PDO Business Analyst Maarten van der Giessen points out that the success of online bidding has proved a benefit not only to the company but also to the participating vendors — especially Omani vendors. “The figure of $300 million doesn't really tell the full story,” he says.
“Since we launched online bidding in PDO we have conducted more than 60 bids, involving more than 120 companies. The majority of these companies are local. By embracing online bidding, they have found other markets opening up for them. With PDO's help we have given many Omani companies a competitive advantage by exposing them to, and making them comfortable with, online bidding.”
PDO is the major exploration and production company in the Sultanate. It accounts for more than 90 percent of the country's crude oil production and all of its natural gas supply. The company is 60 percent owned by the government of Oman, 34 percent by the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, four percent by TotalFinaElf and two percent owned by Partex. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
