Two firms bid to build Oman aluminium smelter

Oman's Sohar Aluminium Company is evaluating two bids from international companies to build a new $2.5 bn smelter. The company received bids from U.S. firm Bechtel and a joint venture of Canada's SNC Lavalin with Murray & Roberts Engineering of South Africa. The work on the 650ktpy plant is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2005 with the production to start in 2008. (Reuters - 04/10/05)