US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1252

UNCLAS AMMAN 001252 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
USDOC FOR 4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/COBERG 
USDOC ALSO FOR ADVOCACY CENTER 
USUN FOR KONZET, HILLMAN 
STATE ALSO FOR L/NEA AND L/EB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP, EPET, ETTC, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: BIDDER ON JORDAN-IRAQ OIL PIPELINE SEEKS USG 
SUPPORT 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
This is an action request:  see para 3. 
 
1.  (sbu)  We were recently contacted by Brock Tuppeny, 
Business Development Manager for Petrofac, a UK-registered 
company with extensive operations in Texas and partial U.S. 
ownership.  According to Tuppeny, Petrofac is involved in, 
inter alia, construction of the Georgian portion of the 
Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline.  Tuppeny approached us seeking USG 
advocacy for their bid on the tender to build an oil pipeline 
and related support facilities linking Jordan's Zarqa 
refinery to the Iraqi border. 
 
2.  (sbu)  In the first instance, we have referred Tuppeny to 
the DoC website to complete an advocacy request.  In the 
interim, we have reviewed the RFP and Petrofac's proposal to 
get a basic understanding of the project.  However, upon 
review of the RFP, we learned that the tender includes 
significant construction on the Iraqi side of the Jordan-Iraq 
border.  Specifically, the RFP requests the project developer 
to: 
 
"...finance, design, build and transfer to the Government of 
Iraq before start of commercial operation of the system a 
truck unloading facility, a tank farm, a booster pump station 
and a custody transfer metering facility located directly at 
the Iraq Jordan border on Iraqi territory (these facilities 
will be owned, operated and maintained by the Iraqi 
government)..." 
 
3.  (sbu)  Action request:  We believe there is a distinct 
possibility that such a project as currently composed could 
run afoul of U.N. and U.S. sanctions on Iraq.  Thus before 
proceeding with any advocacy on Petrofac's behalf, we would 
appreciate Washington guidance on our ability to speak on 
behalf of this company. 
GNEHM