India's heavy engineering major eyes Middle East
Thursday, 16 January 2003, 20:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: India's engineering major Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) is eyeing several projects in the Middle East including major power projects in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran. The state-owned company has executed a number of projects in the region, notably in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran and Iraq. Among the major projects commissioned in Saudi Arabia was a three-unit turnkey gas-based project of 20 MW each at Qurayat and another seven-unit, 7 MW each, diesel power station at Wadi Gizan. In Oman, BHEL has commissioned four gas-based power projects and is now executing the fifth two-unit project of 70 MW each at Qaran Alam for the Petroleum Development Organisation. This is the second order BHEL is doing for Oman's Petroleum Development Organisation. The earlier order was for three units of 30 MW each at Hubara. "We are studying a number of projects in the Middle East, including a captive power plant project for aluminium major Dubai Aluminium Company Ltd (DUBAL), which will mark our entry into the UAE market," K.G. Ramachandran, chairman and managing director of BHEL, told IANS. "We have already made presentations to DUBAL and will be participating in the tender slated for 2003-04," he said. As part of plans to boost its global presence, BHEL has established a presence in Dubai and plans to enhance its export turnover from the present level of 13.5 percent to around 20 percent over the next five years. "For this, BHEL is taking strategic initiatives to position itself as a regular EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) contractor in suitable global markets and establish a strong foothold in the independent power production (IPP) segments with regional focus on the Middle East, the Far East, CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) and African countries," said Ramachandran. "BHEL is mulling setting up service and assembly units overseas soon and a manufacturing unit within the next five years either in Dubai for the Middle East and probably in Singapore for the Far East market," he said. BHEL has bagged two contracts from Iraq for 109 MW gas based turbines. While a letter of credit for two U.S based General Electric designed systems has been received, the company is awaiting firm orders for another two turbines of the same capacity. Earlier this month, BHEL commissioned the first of four 159-MW gas turbines project at Baiji, 250 km north of Baghdad for the Iraqi state-owned General Company Electrical Projects (GCEP). "Of the remaining three turbines, we will be commissioning the second one later this month and the other two by June," Ramachandran said. The company is also eyeing opportunities in Iran, where it has executed a number of projects. "We are looking at a number of gas-based power projects in Iran and hope to bag orders from Iran power plant project management company Mapna," Ramachandran said. Besides the Middle East, BHEL is scouting for opportunities in the redevelopment projects in Afghanistan. While no green-field power projects are likely to be taken up in the war-torn country, BHEL has offered its services to refurbish and optimise the capability of the existing power plants.
Source: IANS
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