Australia''s biggest construction company, Leighton Holdings Ltd has won a $795 million contract to build an oil and gas pipeline in India.
The contract, which starts in November involves the installation of more than 200 km of fixed and flexible pipelines for India''s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in the Mumbai High field, about 80 km off the coast of Mumbai.

Leighton said in a statement today that work would be completed over the next three years between November and May when the weather is suitable. Stage one would be completed in May 2009, stage two in 2010, and stage three in 2011.

ONGC, India''s largest oil and gas producer, awarded the contract to Leighton International.

""The project pushes our work in hand to a record US$3.2 billion. We expect to be able to further increase this figure over the next few months, with the conversion of a number of good prospects in the Arabian Gulf,"" said managing director David Savage.

The company holds the largest share of hydrocarbon acreages in India and contributes over 78% of Indian''s oil and gas production.

Leighton shares gained 8.8%.