The value of total construction contracts awarded in the UAE in the energy sector almost tripled to US$8.8 billion for the period of January to May this year according to project tracker and analysis provider, Ventures Middle East. This is in comparison to US$3 billion for the same period in 2009. Ventures also reported that construction contracts awarded for the UAEs energy sector rose substantially from US$405mn in May 2009 to US$3 billion in May this year.

Ergil Engineering & Construction, specialist in the engineering and construction of storage tank facilities and manufacturer of storage tank, pipeline and cathodic protection equipment, has announced that it has received a second storage tank order for engineering, design, fabrication and supplying oil storage tanks and storage tank equipment for a power plant project in Iraq.

Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) has confirmed today that Belgian company BESIX Group (50 per cent-owned by OCI) has been awarded a US$ 265mn contract to build the North Manama causeway in Bahrain in a joint venture with the Haji Hassan Group. BESIX Group?s share of the contract is approximately US$203mn or 78 per cent of the total contract value.

Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Line Project, also known as the Mecca Metro, is in its final stages of construction and is to be tested for the first time on Sunday, August 1^st according to Fahd Tarboush, director general of the project. On completion the line will link the holy city to Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, will cover 18 km and will include eight cabins in each direction.