Descon Engineering, an Abu Dhabi–based engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company, plans to use its office in the capital for regional expansion in Iraq, Oman and other GCC nations.
“We already have a substantial number of projects in Abu Dhabi to complete with an order book exceeding $250 million. It will further rise as new projects are under negotiations with clients and contractors,” Muhmmad Iqbal Khan, general manager at Descon Engineering, told Khaleej Times at the opening of its pavilion at the on-going Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE Mohammed Asif Durrani, board member of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Khan Zaman and commercial counselor at Pakistan Embassy Habib Ahmed were also present on the occasion.
Khan said his firm is entering into Iraq and Oman market to secure EPC business after a span of 25 years and 10 years in the two countries, respectively, as number of exciting opportunities for the company have come up in recent months. In Abu Dhabi, where Descon has completed several EPC assignments this year, he said the future outlook was very promising as Adco, Ipic and Zadco. “These major firms will be leading the market with several on-going and new projects,” he said.
Apart from electric power projects, he said some mega projects on the anvil include a new refinery to be built in Fujairah and a LNG facility besides others. Khan said that Abu Dhabi announced several mega projects to increase its daily output from 2.5 million barrel to 3.5 million barrel a day in 2018. “Many of those projects have been completed or are in the final phase of completion.”
In this regard, he said massive construction activity recorded in Abu Dhabi’s hydrocarbon industry during years 2009-12 period. However, there was a slowdown in the announcement of new projects last year, but in 2014 the bidding activity picked-up due to which construction industry is bullish on new business in next year, he said.
Khan said Descon is bidding for six contracts in Abu Dhabi from the clients directly or with the main contractors. These include Sarb-4 with Korea’s Hyundai; Rumaitha Shanyal with Korea’s GS; and mechanical work at offshore upper Zakkum.
“Descon has completed 17 smaller projects this year,” he said, adding that the EPC company is involved in two major shut-downs with Gasco and Borouge.
The company’s subsidiary Descon Manufacturing located at Hamriyah Free Zone, which manufactures static equipment like boilers, vessel columns etc.
“Our subsidiary is supporting the parent company in a big way. It has got substantial amount of business from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Oman,” Khan concluded.
