Kuwait is considering reopening bidding to build a $15 billion (£9.2 billion) oil refinery in the country, the deputy prime minister for economic affairs has claimed.

Speaking to state news agency KUNA, Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah said he anticipated parliamentary opposition which led to the deal being scrapped in March could be overcome.

"The past differences over the refinery were not about the project as such. They were about mechanisms such as cost-plus, etc," he claimed.

Reuters clarified that in a cost-plus contract the contractor charges the client for manpower and materials and then adds on its profit margin.

Construction of the company would be likely to bring an employment boost to the Middle Eastern country, while a continual investment in training and development will be needed to ensure the facility operates safely and efficiently.

Earlier this year, Kuwait's Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery was taken offline temporarily following a storage tank fire at the 60-year-old facility.

Getenergy event for GCC countries November 2009