Dolphin Energy Awards Contract to Install Offshore Production Sealines

Successful Bidder, SAIPEM of Italy, will Construct Key Connections with Processing Plant
Abu Dhabi UAE, April 17, 2004 – Dolphin Energy Limited today named the successful bidder for its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) sealines award as Saipem of Italy.

The award covers the engineering, procurement and installation of two 36-inch diameter concrete-coated sealines offshore north east Qatar, for the forthcoming Dolphin Project. Its value is in excess of $115 million. Saipem was also recently awarded the EPC contract for the main Export Pipeline.

When commissioned in 2006, the sealines will transport Dolphin’s production stream of unprocessed natural gas and hydrocarbon liquids some 80 kilometers from its two offshore platforms in the North Field – for delivery to the company’s processing plant in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City.

Thereafter, dry gas will be transported by the main Export Pipeline to Dolphin’s receiving facilities at Taweelah in the UAE.

The line pipe for both the sealines and the Export Pipeline will be supplied by Mitsui & Company Limited of Japan, further to a mandate and procurement agreements issued in 2003.

On January 12, 2004, Dolphin Energy announced the award of its initial Dolphin Project contracts – for construction of the Ras Laffan processing plant, supply of its compression units and construction of two offshore production platforms respectively. The sealines will provide the necessary link between them.

The EPC award to Saipem was based on Dolphin’s established bid evaluation procedure, and was endorsed by the joint Qatar Petroleum / Dolphin Energy Tender Committee.