Bahrain's $314 million Bapco Lube Base Oil Plant is competing in the HLG Leighton Contracting Oil and Gas Project of the Year category at Meed Quality Awards for Projects 2012.

Twenty-two other companies - with a combined value of more than $33 billion - from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are also in the fray.

GCC winners will be announced at the annual MEED Quality Awards for Projects, held in association with Ernst and Young, on May 21, at The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort and Spa.

It is the only awards programme in the GCC to recognise completed quality projects.

Its distinguished panel of judges, comprising top experts in the projects industry, are evaluating a total of 23 projects for the different award categories, HLG Leighton Contracting Oil and Gas Project of the Year, Industrial Project of the Year, Power and Water Desalination Project of the Year, Water Reuse Project of the Year, Leisure and Tourism Project of the Year, Transport Project of the Year, Metito Social Project of the Year, Emirates Steel Building Project of the Year, KIMMCO Sustainable Project of the Year, Outstanding Achievement of the Year and the Meed Quality Project of the Year, sponsored by E&Y.

'Each finalist was judged on the basis of its size and project value,' remarked Meed Quality Awards for Projects chairman of the judging panel Edmund O'Sullivan.

'Careful consideration was given to its economic, social and environmental impact. Innovations and achievements in design, engineering and construction were also taken into account by the judges in determining the winners.'

'The high level of scrutiny and analysis, in addition to the quality of the judging panel make the MEED Quality Awards for Projects a true barometer of project excellence.'

While the mega billion dollars poured into completing the projects is an achievement in itself, awards headline sponsor E&Y, the global leader in financial advisory services, believes it is equally important to highlight the national winners' contributions to raising quality standards in the conception, financing and execution of projects in the region.

'Quality and sustainability for instance are becoming increasingly important barometers by which projects are either considered a success or a failure, so recognising project excellence is a great way to raise quality standards in the projects industry,' said E&Y partner and Mena infrastructure and PPP advisory services head Abraham Akkawi.

'We're happy to be a part of a growing focus on this critical aspect as more and more projects are conceived and executed in the region in the years to come,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service