South Korea's Big three shipbuilders would have a hot competition to be on a vantage ground in offshore plant market, from February.

Sources said that Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung HI and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering are strong candidates, most likely to win three large offshore plant orders to be awarded in the first half 2012.

Those offshore projects are Australian Ichthys FPSO, Russian Shtokman FPU, Nigerian Egina FPSO, worth about $1.5-$2.5bn each.

Part of projects are bid by overseas companies from France, China, etc., separately or in a consortium. However, it is forecast that Korean builders have no comparison in track records or technical skills and the competition would only be raced by Big three.

In case of Shtokman's FPU, of which tender result scheduled to be announced in early February, Samsung and Daewoo are known to be on the final lists.

Besides, Hyundai and Samsung are fighting for Nigeria's FPSO and Big three all jumped into Australian FPSO competition, totalling $2bn.