Headlines:
Friday 28 March 2008
Oil and gas contract awards slump as costs soar in Gulf

Value of awards in the Gulf oil and gas sector has fallen by almost two-thirds over the past year. In MEED magazine this week
Rule change to raise cost of city building in Saudi Arabia
Consolidated and Six Construct win $1.7bn Ras Laffan deal
Baghdad signs $5.5bn Boeing deal
Aramco upgrades refineries to meet US rules on sulphur
Cairo set to launch economic courts for businesses
Marafiq takes on risk under Yanbu deal
Aramco sparks hope of capacity increase at Harmaliyah field
Muscat ditches plans for coal-fired plant

News
Speculation grows over Sabic and Aramco joint venture
Cairo targets global mining companies
Project delays hit Algiers’ export targets
Friendi Mobile wins first virtual network licences in region
Nakheel to award three major real estate deals

Features
The $2 trillion question
Rapid expansion risks oversupply
Al-Habtoor Leighton Group on Gulf expansion plans
Business Close-up: Qatalum
Ankara targets Gulf investors

Special Report
Special report: Kuwait
The need for stability
A welcome development
Major project financings in the Middle East
A journey into unknown territory
More than the sum of its parts

Commentary
Sulphur clean-up makes economic sense in the region
Growth can be sustained in the Gulf
Political stability must be first step in Kuwait
Securing gas is vital for growth in the Gulf
Saudi Arabia right to plan long term for economic cities

Editor's Choice
Rule change to raise cost of city building in Saudi Arabia
Special report: Kuwait
The $2 trillion question
Rapid expansion risks oversupply

Friday 1 February 2008

Top MEED News

Arab Banking Corp confirms subprime exposure
Doosan bids low for Jeddah phase three
Cairo wastewater deadline extended
Oman power privatisation plans gain momentum
Nakheel plans Dubai Waterfront rail project
Chevron's Divided Zone concession likely to be renewed
NanoDynamics to list on Dubai bourse by mid-February
Kuwait Investment Opportunities Fund aims to raise $93m
Chinese manufacturer opens Jordan’s first car plant
China buys stake in Yemen oil field

Banking and Finance

Arab Banking Corp confirms subprime exposure
International Finance Corporation extends help to Palestinians
Oman opts out of GCC single currency
QNB reports 26 per cent profit rise
Sub-prime crisis hits regional banks
Doha Bank to expand into Yemen through joint venture

Construction

Nakheel plans Dubai Waterfront rail project
Contracts awarded for Dubai’s Parallel roads
Bids received for Bahrain sanitation services
Cisco wins Saudi economic city infrastructure contract
Bidders line up for $2bn Qatar-Bahrain causeway
Dubai to start work on landmark bridge in March

Energy

Kuwait to import gas to fuel power plants
Chevron's Divided Zone concession likely to be renewed
China buys stake in Yemen oil field
Black Cat wins Qatar Petroleum contract
Saudi Aramco to boost capacity at offshore Karan gas field
Big Oil assists with Qatar North field studies

Power

Oman power privatisation plans gain momentum
Doha prepares solar and nuclear plans
Egyptian nuclear tender to go ahead in mid-February
Taqa makes billion dirham profit
Saudi Electricity seeks interest in power plant
Bids for Tunisia's Ghannouch power plant due in February

Real Estate

Tabreed to provide district cooling at Sohar
Kuwaiti firm secures Al Areen contract
Omran receives bids for three hotel projects
Exhibition City contract goes to Samsung and Baytur
Kuwait issues first tender for Future City
Four shortlisted to design Masdar headquarters

Water

Doosan bids low for Jeddah phase three
Cairo wastewater deadline extended
Oman power privatisation plans gain momentum
Bids received for Bahrain sanitation services
Riyadh delays wastewater services privatisation plan
Bahrain starts race for Addur water and power plant

Commentary

High oil prices help industry absorb rising exploration costs
Ratings will ease Ras al-Khaimah's access to funding
GCC membership is no panacea for Yemen's economic problems
Call for port operators to put customers first
Construction boom brings foreign competition
Doha should act to cool economy
Change will bring opportunities in Bahrain
UAE utilities reform must match Masdar ambitions
Volatility offers lesson for Sabic
Time for action on inflation in GCC

Tenders

IRAN TENDER: Wireless local loop system
QATAR TENDER: Effluent over-pumping facilities
OMAN TENDER: Electricity feeder construction
QATAR TENDER: Mosques construction
IRAN TENDER: Sewerage treatment plant construction
KUWAIT TENDER: Transformer station construction
OMAN TENDER: Sewage network