State oil giant Saudi Aramco has extended by almost a month bidding for the expansion of the offshore Hasbah sour gas field which will feed the planned Fadhili gas plant, industry sources said.

Gas is a top priority for Saudi Arabia as it tries to burn less crude oil for power generation and water desalination.

Bidding for work on the project, Hasbah II, which includes platforms and pipelines, is due to close on Oct.15 from Sept.20, said one of the sources, as firms needed more time to prepare their offers.

Saudi Aramco declined to comment on the report.

Last month, industry sources in Saudi Arabia said foreign engineering firms have submitted bids to build the Fadhili gas plant in the east of the kingdom at an estimated cost of $5 billion to $6 billion.

The expansion of Hasbah will supply the Fadhili plant with 2 billion standard cubic feet per day (scfd) of gas while the remaining 500 million scfd will come from Khursaniyah.

Hasbah and another offshore gas field Arabiyah will feed another major gas plant Wasit, which sources said in April began testing operations.  - Reuters