Kentz subsidiary Valerus has won a $38 million contract for work at the Punto Fijo in Venezuela.

The group’s oil and gas handling company in the US was awarded an engineering and procurement contract for a simplified early production plant for Cardon IV- the joint operating company of Italy’s Eni and Spain’s Respol.

The plant is designed to enable first gas from the Perla field in Venezuela, operated by Cardon IV.

Valerus said the plant will be operational by the fourth quarter and will deliver 150 million cubic feet of gas per day.

The aim is to fast-track production from the field, with the permanent installation operating independently.

The company recently won an engineering, procurement and construction contract for a gas conditioning and condensate stabilisation facility, also in Venezuela.

The Perla development had an estimated initial cost of $1.4 billion and was originally due on stream in 2012, though is now not likely to start production until later this year as a result of delays caused by the elections in 2012.

Venezuela’s state-owned PDVSA will now hold a 35% stake in the project following its entry into the operating group, with Eni and Repsol each on 32.5%.