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The Top 25 EPC Contractors 2022 shortlist compiled by Oil & Gas Middle East is the publication's latest annual update of the oil and gas industry's leading EPC companies in the Middle East - so who comes out on top?

Each year, the list recognises engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firms responsible for some of the greatest impact in the region.

For 2022, a total of 25 firms made the list, the second time since the shortlist was made a little shorter in 2021, from the Top 30 EPC Contractors list that was compiled in 2020 and earlier.

Here are some of the 'ones to watch' from the new list, based on criteria such as financial reports, project backlog, current and completed projects, sustainability initiatives, and the company's future potential and overall impact in the Middle East.

1. NPCC

Rank in 2021: #2

NPCC took the final step to climb from 2nd on the 2021 list, to the hallowed top spot for 2022. The company was praised for successfully managing its backlog and consolidating margins, while also securing multimillion-dollar EPC contracts in 2022.

The year began with a $2.2 billion award for NPCC for the Zuluf offshore field from Saudi Aramco. In July, ADNOC Offshore awarded the contractor a further EPC job worth nearly $1 billion, following a competitive tender process. And in September, nearly $550 million more was added to the NPCC portfolio to build a gas line at ADNOC's Lower Zakum offshore field in Abu Dhabi.

2. L&T

Rank in 2021: #1

Larsen & Toubro Hydrocarbon Engineering (previously LTHE) merged with its parent group at the start of the year, so from 2022 it appears on the list simply as 'L&T'. A common feature around the top of the Oil & Gas Middle East Top EPC Contractors shortlist, L&T was again given a podium placing in the latest annual table.

"Major EPC contracts in the region" were cited as the driving force behind its ranking, including the $1.6 billion deal closed in late 2021 to work on Saudi Aramco's vast Jafurah gas development and further Saudi Aramco contracts signed in July and August 2022, including work to enhance the Jubail Industrial gas network, Ethane Upgradation Facility and LPG Piping Network at Ju'aymah NGL.

3. Petrofac

Rank in 2021: #12

The highest climbers by far in the top ten, Petrofac secured the final podium position by gaining an impressive nine places compared with 2021. Oil & Gas Middle East said: "A significant increase in bidding activity [in the second half of 2022] put the company firmly on the path to grow its backlog over the full year."

Petrofac was praised for growing its focus on energy security and capitalising on investment into new energy infrastructure projects, all of which is supported by an environment of strong commodity prices. The company has some ambitious long-term goals in place, including 30% female leadership roles by 2025 and net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030.

4. Saipem

Rank in 2021: #7

The Italian EPC contractor gains three places to rank at 4th for 2022, buoyed by several major Middle East contract wins. Among them in July was a Saudi Aramco "industrial national EPC champion implementation agreement" which covers the execution of onshore EPC projects in Saudi Arabia. Under the agreement, Saipem and NSH will establish a new entity in the kingdom for the delivery of such projects.

5. McDermott

Rank in 2021: #5

McDermott, based in Houston, Texas, hold their enviable 5th-place finish to complete the top five rankings. One of the contractor's largest deals ever helped to retain its position, a major EPCI contract from QatarEnergy that includes 13 unmanned wellhead platforms in the North Field Expansion Project.

6. Technip Energies

Rank in 2021: #9

Like Saipem, Technip Energies climbed three spots in 2022, driven by a completely new entity established in July 2022 in collaboration with top-ranked NPCC. The new MENA-focused company is named NT Energies and aims to add value in blue and green hydrogen, as well as eco-technologies like waste-to-energy and carbon capture, with a geographic remit that spans the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

7. Archirodon

Rank in 2021: N/A

The European contractor was established in 1959 but is a new entry on the 2022 list. Multiple projects helped Archirodon to rank, including a $173 million EPC contract from ADNOC Onshore to further develop capacity in the Asab oil field. Major marine projects completed by Archirodon also include the Jeddah and Dammam seaports, others in Saudi Arabia and three in the United Arab Emirates.

8. Tecnicas Reunidas

Rank in 2021: #11

Spain's Tecnicas Reunidas enters the top ten after winning the QatarEnergy EPC contract to expand infrastructure on the North Field Expansion with four new LNG trains. The first is scheduled to start by the end of 2025. Tecnicas Reunidas also performed well as investment levels recovered in the first half of 2022, securing a reported $1.2 billion in contracts, something the company's chairman Juan Llado called "normalisation".

9. Penspen

Rank in 2021: #10

A strong second quarter added at least seven new contracts to the Penspen portfolio, covering project management, asset integrity and detailed engineering, along with a multi-year framework deal with a major national oil company in the Middle East. The company also launched a tailored engineer development scheme focused on the UAE to bring through the next generation of industry talent.

10. JGC Corp.

Rank in 2021: #19

Like Petrofac, JGC Corp. are up nine places in 2022, to steal the final spot in the year's top ten ranking. Oil & Gas Middle East said this is due to the Saudi Aramco EPC contract awarded to JGC Holdings Corporation for the Zuluf Arab Heavy Increment Central Processing Facilities. This includes building three onshore GOSP facilities, utilities and water injection capabilities.

Hiring EPC Oil & Gas Personnel in the Middle East

The recovery and 'normalisation' of investment in the Middle East oil and gas sector means many EPC contractors in the region face a growing need for highly skilled personnel and reliable talent to deliver multimillion-dollar projects.

First Recruitment Group have over 20 years of experience sourcing skilled EPC workers for clients internationally. Our in-country office in the UAE is perfectly placed to provide talented candidates for Middle East EPC contractors, with trusted strategic partners located across the region.

Our recruitment teams have sourced talent for top Middle East EPC operators including:

  • Crescent Petroleum
  • DNO
  • Genel
  • OMV
  • Wintershall

To find out more about our recruitment agency in the Middle East, with the benefits of a local presence and full regulatory compliance, contact our Client Development Manager, Mark Wallace, on +44 (0)1925 912180 or email mark.wallace@firstrg.com.

You can also click here to read about our MENA recruitment agency, to find out more about our hiring capabilities in the Middle East and North Africa.

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