State-owned Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has pre-qualified 17 firms to bid for a contract involving the supply and installation of 24 drilling towers within a project expansion plan in the next five years, a local newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The companies from Kuwait, neighbouring Gulf states and other countries, are required to supply the drillers gradually within a period stretching from 9 months to 12 years after signing the deal, the Arabic language daily Alanba said, citing KOC sources.

It said contractors to be awarded the project will be required to operate the drillers round-the-clock, adding that the machines are of four types ranging between 550 and 1,000 horsepower.

"KOC requested the 24 drilling towers as it is planning to expand its project activity over the next five years," the report said.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@refinitiv.com)

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