Roll out the barrels

has been awarded a five-year programme management consultancy (PMC) contract by

(ZADCO) in

.

The reimbursable contract, the largest oil-related PMC contract ever awarded by ZADCO, is estimated to be worth $75m (£42.1m) over the five years.

AMEC will provide engineering, consultancy and project-management services extending from concept stage through front-end engineering design (FEED), design, construction and commissioning of several projects on the Upper Zakum full-field development programme.

The programme began in 2007 and is expected to be completed by 2013.

Among the projects in which AMEC will be involved are the replacement of the 60km main subsea oil pipeline, expansion of onshore/offshore gas-treatment facilities, development of the east and west areas of the field and a major programme of work to increase offshore crude production capacity from 500,000 to 750,000 barrels per day.

The Upper Zakum field is located 84km offshore to the north west of Abu Dhabi islands and covers approximately 1,200km² of the Arabian Gulf.

It is part of the Zakum field, the second-largest field in the Gulf and the fourth-largest field in the world.