Four firms are bidding for a seismic survey in the Red Sea for Saudi Aramco, industry sources have reported.
Fugro NV, CGG Veritas, WesternGeco and Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS), a unit of Schlumberger, are to submit bids in two weeks, Reuters has reported.
A spokeswoman for Fugro told the news agency that the Dutch company had received an invitation to submit a bid, but did not go into further details.
The seismic survey is set to begin in September and will be the first of its kind implemented in the Red Sea.
Back in November last year, Saudi Aramco chief executive Khalid al Falih revealed that the firm is planning to start drilling deeper offshore frontiers in 2012.
The firm recently awarded a gas drilling contract to US giant Baker Hughes. The firm will provide drilling services in the gas fields of southern Saudi Arabia.
