U.A.E. – Metito and Orascom Construction, in collaboration with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company PJSC (ADNOC) and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA), have secured a $2.4 billion deal to build a large-scale desalination plant in Abu Dhabi. The consortium will develop, own, and operate the project, which includes seawater treatment, water transportation, and a greenfield seawater nanofiltration plant with a capacity of over 500,069 m3/d. Orascom Construction is the consortium leader. The financing will be through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) on a build, own, operate, and transfer (BOOT) model for a 30-year period. ADNOC and TAQA will jointly hold a 51% stake in the SPV, while Orascom Construction and Metito will own 49% (24.5% each). The desalination project aims to replace aquifer water injection systems, ensuring a sustainable water supply for ADNOC's onshore operations and reducing the environmental footprint by up to 30%. (Utilities Middle East)
U.A.E. – ENGIE has invested approximately $12 billion in energy, water desalination, and green hydrogen projects in the UAE, according to Frédéric Claux, Managing Director of Flexible Generation and Retail, Africa Middle East Asia at ENGIE. The investments cover various strategic projects, including the Al Ajban Solar PV development, water desalination initiatives, battery storage, green hydrogen production, the Mirfa 2 Reverse Osmosis Independent Water Project, and the operation of six power and water plants in the UAE. (SOLARQUARTER)
KUWAIT – Kuwait has canceled tenders for the Az-Zour North Phase 2 & 3 integrated water and power project (IWPP) and Al-Khairan Phase 1 IWPP, opting to re-issue them for qualified companies. The Az-Zour North Phase 2 & 3 IWPP involves a power and water desalination plant with a net capacity of at least 2,700 MW of power and 545,530 m3/d of desalinated water. The Al-Khairan Phase 1 IWPP is a power and water desalination plant with a net capacity of at least 1,800 MW of power and 150,020 m3/d of desalinated water. (Oil&Gas Middle East)
BAHRAIN – Bahrain has launched the second phase of the Al-Dur 2 Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP), valued at $1 billion. The new plant, an extension of Al Dur Phase 1, has a desalination capacity of 227,304 m3/d and a power generation capacity of 1,500MW. It is integrated into the 400kV high-voltage transmission network, marking a significant milestone for Bahrain's utilities. With the completion of Al-Dur 2, Bahrain's overall production capacity reaches 927,402 m3/d of desalinated water and 5,044 MW of electricity. The project was led by an ACWA Power consortium, including Mitsui and Almoayyed Contracting Group. (Oil&Gas Middle East)
Bahrain has launched the second phase of the Al-Dur 2 Independent Water and Power Project. Credit: Oil&Gas Middle East
AUSTRALIA – SA Water has begun construction on a desalination plant in Marree, South Australia, as part of upgrades to drinking water supplies in outback towns. The project, undertaken by the John Holland–Guidera O’Connor joint venture, involves on-ground concreting and earthworks in preparation for the arrival of the containerized desalination plant in the coming months. Marree's reverse osmosis plant will have the capacity to supply up to 126 m3/d sourcing groundwater from the Great Artesian Basin. The desalination plant, fabricated in Adelaide, is housed in a steel shipping container to withstand the harsh summer heat of remote areas. Construction efforts are focused on building on-site water storage tanks and an evaporation basin, with the plant scheduled for delivery in 2023 and tap water supply expected to be available in Marree by early 2024. (Utility Magazine)
AUSTRALIA – Decade-old plans for a desalination plant in Western Australia's Goldfields-Esperance region are being revisited to address future water security in the region. The Goldfields Voluntary Regional Organisation of Councils (GVROC) will collaborate with the state government and Water Corporation in this effort. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, which famously receives its drinking water from the 120-year-old Goldfields Pipeline, is entering its fifth month of water restrictions. Proposals for a desalination plant at Esperance were previously raised during the Gallop, Carpenter and Barnett governments as a potential solution to long-term water shortages. Andrew Forrest's Fortescue Future industries is also investigating the potential for an Esperance desalination plant as part of a broader green hydrogen project. (ABC News)
Plans for a desalination plant at Esperance, Australia, have been discussed for decades. Credit: ABC Goldfields-Esperance: Robert Koenig-Luck
SPAIN – Barcelona, facing prolonged drought, relies on Europe's largest desalination plant to meet its water needs. The Llobregat desalination plant, initially built in 2009 but largely unused until recently, extracts water from the Mediterranean Sea and currently contributes 33% of Barcelona's drinking water. The drought has shifted the city's water sources, with desalination now surpassing rivers and wells in providing drinking water. Spain, ranked fourth globally in desalination capacity, is investing in expanding desalination plants near Barcelona and on its southern coast, aiming to address water scarcity amid climate change challenges. (Independent)
EGYPT – Egypt aims to achieve a desalination capacity of 8.8 million cubic meters per day m3/day by 2050, with a total investment of $8 billion, according to Deputy Minister of Housing for Infrastructure Affairs, Sayed Ismail. The 2050 target includes 11 governorates, and the initial phase aims to reach a desalination capacity of 3.3 million m3/day by 2025, increasing to 5.9 million m3/day in the subsequent phase. Egypt's currently has a drinking water production capacity of 33.6 million m3/day. (ZAWYA)
MISCELLANEOUS – Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have long relied on desalination to meet water demand, despite its high financial and environmental costs. The increased costs of desalination, both financial and environmental, may become unsustainable in the medium and long terms, requiring societal behavior changes to offset. The GCC has low rainfall levels, high evaporation rates, and one of the highest global water consumption rates, contributing to the rising demand for desalination. The Gulf region accounts for 40% of global desalinated water capacity, and its use is expected to reach 300 million cubic meters by 2050. The financial costs of desalination are expected to rise, but the environmental costs, such as harm to marine ecosystems from brine disposal, remain significant challenges for the region's water security. (ARAB NEWS)