Leighton Holdings Ltd, Australia’s largest construction company, has been given the contract to build a pipeline in India for Asia’s biggest oil and gas producer. The contract is worth $US720 million ($A795 million).

The project involves the installation of over 200 kilometres of fixed and flexible pipelines in the Mumbai High field for India’s Oil and Natural Gas corporation.

Work will begin this November and continue over the next three years between November and May when the weather is most suitable.

David Savage, Leighton International MD, said the project consolidated the company’s operations in India. “Our capabilities in oil and gas have been strengthened over the years and this project for ONGC is testament to this.”

In his statement he also announced the he project increased Leighton International’s work in hand to $US3.2 billion ($A3.54 billion).

Savage expects the amount of work in hand to increase over coming months as prospects in the Persian Gulf were converted to projects.