The project is about Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract to build a giant seawater treatment facility and pipelines Iraq. Known as the Common Seawater Supply Facility (CSSF), the scheme will supply treated water vital for the Rumaila, Zubair and West Qurna 1 oil fields to maintain reservoir pressure. The project involves the construction of a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project comprising of a water treatment facility and related pipelines needed to boost IraqÂ’s oil production capacity in its southern oilfields located in the region around Basra. The project scope covers the treatment plants. Scope of work includes the following: - A 2.5 million bpd water treatment plant - (2 Nos.) 150 kilometer pipelines - Power plant - Pumping facilities. Firms are preparing to submit bids by the end of October 2013 for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract. A tender for design of the pipelines, which will carry water to the oil fields, is expected to be launched in November 2013. New survey contracts are also expected to be awarded this month or in November. Majority of land acquisition has also been completed by the client. US engineering consultant, is acting as the project management consultant (PMC). The Ministry of Oil is hoping to launch EPC tenders in the first half of 2014, with an award expected before the end of the year.